KALI PADA MAHATO Vs. STATE OF JHARKHAND

JUDGEMENT

(1.) HEARD counsel for the petitioner and the State.

(2.) PETITIONER was holding the post of District Agriculture Officer, Koderma when he was served with a charge -sheet on 15.2.2011(Annexure -4) which led to the imposition of punishment of withholding of 3 increments with cumulative effect and recovery of a sum of Rs. 1,56,936/ - by the impugned notification bearing memo no. 774 dated 15.3.2013 issued by the respondent no. 4, Director (Administration) Agriculture cum Joint Secretary, Agriculture & Cane Development Department, Government of Jharkhand (Annexure -7).

(3.) PETITIONER is said to have given a para wise reply to the charge -sheet inter -alia defending himself with the explanation that the damage of the potato seeds supplied to Koderma occurred during the transportation itself and further due to big size of the potato seeds, the same were returned back. Petitioner has also explained the said charges by stating that there were not enough cold storage and godown to store the materials. Petitioner also referred to the letter dated 4.10.2010 of the Joint Director of Agriculture, Hazaribag regarding the reasons under which the potato seeds were damaged. Petitioner also took a plea that he took the help of extra departmental agencies to distribute the seeds amongst the cultivators, detail of which has been given in the show cause. Therefore, damage of potato seeds were beyond his control.