VIKAS MOHAN DAHIYA Vs. STATE OF HARYANA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The petitioner is an Executive Engineer in the service of the Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam, (DHBVN). In essence, his two-fold prayer in this writ petition is as under:-

(2.) The petitioner entered the service of the DHBVN as an Executive Engineer on 02.12.2011. In the year 2014, he was subjected to disciplinary proceedings in connection with the implementation of the Meter Pillar Box Scheme, whereunder consumer electricity meters were to be relocated from the consumer's premises to meter pillar boxes so as to minimize the theft of electricity.

(3.) Based on the first fact-finding report dated 02.01.2014, the petitioner was placed under suspension on 14.01.2014. However, another committee constituted by the DHBVN, comprising three officers, submitted report dated 18.02.2014, opining to the contrary. Thereupon, the petitioner was re-instated in service on 02.04.2014. While so, a vigilance inquiry into the issue culminated in the report dated 27.05.2014, wherein it was opined that the role of the concerned officers of the DHBVN needed to be inquired into and that disciplinary action should be initiated against them as per rules. Owing to this report, the petitioner was again placed under suspension and charge-sheet dated 26.09.2014 was issued to him. The regular inquiry into the matter, based on this charge-sheet, through the Inquiry Committee consisting of a Director of the Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam and a Director of the Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam Limited culminated in the report dated 10.02.2016, wherein it was concluded that no apparent financial loss to the DHBVN was suspected as the value of the material available with it was higher than the payments released to the contractors. In consequence, the petitioner was again re-instated in service on 03.08.2016.