(1.) The appellate order of punishment is under challenge in this writ petition.
(2.) The petitioner who was appointed on 6/9/1977 on the post of Forester was served a charge-memo on 14/7/1992 containing allegations that in the year 1986 and 1987 he caused financial loss to the Bihar State Forest Development Corporation. A departmental inquiry proceeded in which the petitioner was offered opportunity to defend himself. A copy of the inquiry report was provided to him and vide letter dtd. 25/10/1997 second show-cause notice was issued to him. The General Manager, Minor Forest Produce Project Circle, Hazaribagh accepted the findings of the inquiring officer that the charges were proved.
(3.) Finding no substance in the reply submitted by the petitioner in response to the second show-cause dtd. 25/10/1997, the disciplinary authority by an order dtd. 14/2/2003 inflicted punishment of (i) recovery of Rs.3,58,315.00 and (ii) stoppage of three annual increments which shall have future effect. The appellate authority took note of office order dtd. 26/12/1986 a copy of which has been filed by the respondent-Corporation in supplementary affidavit dtd. 11/1/2010 vide Annexure-A and reduced the amount of recovery from the petitioner to Rs.1,56,904.65. The penalty of stoppage of three annual increments was also reduced to forfeiture of one year's annual increment with future effect.