KAILASH CHANDRA MOHANTY Vs. UNION OF INDIA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The Petitioner, who retired from service as Superintendent, Railway Mail Service, Berhampur-Ganjam Division, Berhampur, has filed this writ petition challenging the order dtd. 22/1/2014 passed by the Central Administrative Tribunal, Cuttack Bench, Cuttack (CAT) in O.A. No.282 of 2012.

(2.) The background facts are that the Petitioner joined as Postal Assistant on 10/4/1972. Subsequently he was promoted in the ranks and was ultimately to the post of Superintendent in 2001. He superannuated on 31/7/2010.

(3.) It is stated that between 18/7/2005 and 20/12/2005 the Petitioner was posted as Assistant Manager (Administration) in Postal Printing Press (PPP), Bhubaneswar and thereafter as Deputy Manager then from May, 2008. On 3/10/2006 the Chief Post Master General, Orissa Circle, Bhubaneswar (Opposite Party No.2) issued a memo of charges against the Petitioner under Rule 14 of the Central Civil Services (CCA) Rules, inter alia alleging that the Petitioner, in violation of the guidelines, had allowed his son and three other persons to be appointed as Apprentice (Book Binder) during his incumbency as Assistant Manager, PPP. It was further alleged that, by such action in question, those Apprentices were paid stipend, which had resulted in loss of money for the Government and gain to the Petitioner, as one of those Apprentices happened to be his own son. It was further alleged that the Petitioner endorsed the irregular noting dtd. 20/9/2005 of the Dealing Assistant recommending selection of three other persons including the son of the Dealing Assistant.