K.SRINIVAS Vs. DISTRICT COLLECTOR

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Petitioner is aggrieved of the order dtd. 16/8/2019 passed by the 2nd respondent modifying the punishment of withholding of two annual grade increments with cumulative effect to that of withholding of one annual grade increment without cumulative effect instead of setting aside the original punishment imposed by the primary authority/1st respondent by order dtd. 11/4/2017.

(2.) Heard Sri Katika Ravinder Reddy, learned counsel for petitioner and the learned Assistant Government Pleader for Services-II, appearing for the respondents.

(3.) Petitioner was initially appointed as a Typist in the year 2002 and subsequently he was promoted to the post of Deputy Tahsildar in September, 2015 and worked as In-charge, Mandal Level Stock (MLS) point of Choppadandi from September, 2015 to January, 2016. Petitioner was suspended on 6/1/2016 by the Joint Collector, Karimnagar on the complaint of one M.Narasaiah that 21 fair price shop dealers of Choppadandi Mandal did not distribute red gram dal to the cardholders and diverted the red gram dal to black market in the month of November, 2015. Thereafter, basing on the report of the District Manager, T.S.Civil Supplies Corporation Ltd. (TSCSCL), Karimnagar, dtd. 19/1/2016, articles of charge were framed against the petitioner alleging that he being the incharge of MLS point, Choppadandi, diverted 98.91 quintals of red gram dal to black-market by colluding with the fair price shop dealers and the Route Officer attached to the MLS point. On 18/3/2016, he submitted his reply stating that basing on the order of the Mandal Revenue Officer only, the red gram dal was loaded from the MLS point from 23/11/2015 to 26/11/2015 and unloaded the same at fair price shops through the Route Officer by duly recording the same in the Issue Register. In his reply, the petitioner has also stated that the Route Officer accompanied the transport vehicle and unloaded the commodities at the fair price shop dealers, who have also submitted closing balance of essential commodities for December, 2015 to the Tahsildar, showing distribution of red gram dal, therefore, he cannot be made responsible for the alleged diversion of 98.91 quintals of red gram dal.