IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS Dated : 24..3..2008 Coram: The Honourable Mr.Justice P.K. MISRA and The Honourable Mr.Justice K.CHANDRU W. P. No. 2907 of 2005 R.Venkatachalam ... Petitioner -vs- 1. Union of India Rep. by Senior Superintendent of Post Offices Namakkal Division Namakkal 2. Assistant Superintendent of Post Officer Namakkal East Sub-Division Namakkal 3. Sub-Divisional Inspector (Postal) Namakkal West Sub-Division Namakkal 4. The Registrar Central Administrative Tribunal Chennai Bench Chennai 104 ... Respondents Petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying to issue a writ of Certiorarified Mandamus calling for the records pertaining to the order dated 26.4.2004 in O.A. No. 646 of 2003 on the file of the Central Administrative Tribunal and consequently directing the respondents to reinstate the petitioner in service with all attendant benefits. For Petitioner : Mr. R. Malaichamy For Respondents 1-3 : Mr. S. Udayakumar, ACGSC ORDER
K. CHANDRU, J.
Heard the arguments of Mr. R. Malaichamy, learned counsel appearing for the petitioner and Mr. S. Udayakumar, learned Additional Central Government Standing Counsel representing the respondents 1 to 3 and have perused the records.
2. The petitioner, aggrieved by the order of the Central Administrative Tribunal [for short, ‘CAT’] dated 26.4.2004 made in O.A. NO. 646 of 2003 has come forward to file the present writ petition.
3. The petitioner was employed as an Extra Departmental Delivery Agent (EDDA) at Kandampalayam Post Office coming under the control of the third respondent. His services were terminated by an order dated 30.11.2002 on the ground that the charges levelled agianst him have been proved in a regular departmental enquiry and that as the charges related to misappropriation of amounts, punishment of removal from service was considered to be proper one. Thereafter, the petitioner filed an appeal before the appellate authority, viz., the first respondent, and the appeal was also rejected by an order dated 28.5.2003.
4. Before the Tribunal, elaborate arguments were made on the basis of the enquiry proceedings. The Tribunal held that there was no infirmity in the procedure adopted in the departmental enquiry. The Tribunal also held that the conduct of the petitioner in voluntarily crediting the disputed amount is certainly an indirect admission of the charges of misappropriation.
5. On the question of penalty, in paragraph 7, the Tribunal observed as follows:
Para 7: “In so far as the proportionality of the punishment is concerned we would like to observe the following. Old Age Pension is a scheme devised by the Govt. to come the aid of the destitute and old persons who have nobody to look after them and who have no resources to fall back upon in the evening of their lives. There, it is very essential that the amount earmarked for such needy persons are disbursed on time. That apart, it has been brought out in the inquiry proceedings that the applicant had failed to perform his duties, particularly relating to disbursal of OAP MOs. We are of the considered view that this is a grave misconduct which will not only on the performance of the department but also has a direct bearing on the implementation of the social security scheme evolved by the Govt. Therefore, we do not think that any mercy is called for while imposing any penalty on the applicant. We are of the considered view that the respondents have acted judiciously and no reduction in the penalty is called for.”
6. Mr. Malaichamy, learned counsel for the petitioner made three submissions in attacking the order of the Tribunal. The first was the delay in conducting the enquiry. He had submitted that though the incident related to the year 1996, the enquiry was initiated only during 2001. Secondly, it was stated that the witness SW1 Smt. Pavayee (Complainant) was coerced to affix her LTI by the threat meted out to her by SW3 and in the enquiry, she could not remember as to who wrote the complaint and vouchsafed its contents. He also submitted that Ruling No. 2 given under Rule 15 of the CCS (CCA) Rules was not followed inasmuch as the charge was one thing and the finding was rendered in respect of another memo given to the petitioner.
7. Mr. S. Udhayakumar, learned Additional Central Government Standing Counsel representing the respondents replied stating that though the enquiry was conducted with some delay and on that score, the proceedings cannot be interfered with. He also stated that it took some time to detect the fraud committed in that office and the petitioner was in no way prejudiced by the conduct of the enquiry.
8. With reference to the second contention, he stated that SW1 was an illiterate person and she had corroborated the complaint dated 18.12.1996 in the enquiry and the preponderance of probabilities clearly pointed out the involvement of the petitioner in the misappropriation. He also stated that even the Tribunal had taken exception to the conduct of the petitioner who had misappropriated the amount sent by the Government to an old age pensioner and by affixing a false thumb impression and such conduct cannot be condoned. The learned counsel also submitted that the post of the petitioner was not governed by the CCS (CCA) Rules but by the GDS (Conduct and Employment) Rules. Inasmuch as the principles of natural justice were kept in mind, the petitioner cannot take exception to the same and so saying, he prayed for the dismissal of the writ petition.
9. We have gone through the material records produced by the parties and we have no hesitation in affirming the order passed by the Tribunal. We are of the opinion that the charges levelled against the petitioner was clearly proved and the punishment does not call for any interference.
10. In fact, recently, the Supreme Court in the judgment relating to a P&T ED Agent in Union of India v. P.K.Kuttappan [2007 AIR SCW 1587] dealt with a case of a false endorsement made by an ED staff. In paragraph 6 of the said judgment, the Supreme Court held that even making such false endorsement is a serious charge. That case arose under the GDS (C&E) Rules only.
11. In the light of the above, the writ petition is misconceived and devoid of merits. Accordingly, the petition will stand dismissed. However, there will be no order as to costs.
(P.K.M., J.) (K.C., J.)
24..3..2008
Index : Yes
Internet : Yes
gri
To
1. Union of India
Rep. by Senior Superintendent of Post Offices
Namakkal Division, Namakkal
2. Assistant Superintendent of Post Officer
Namakkal East Sub-Division
Namakkal
3. Sub-Divisional Inspector (Postal)
Namakkal West Sub-Division
Namakkal
4. The Registrar
Central Administrative Tribunal
Chennai Bench, Chennai 104
P.K. MISRA, J.
and
K. CHANDRU, J.
gri
Pre-Delivery Order in
W. P. No. 2907 of 2005
Delivered on
24..3..2008