JUDGMENT Rakesh Tiwari, J.
1. Heard learned Counsel for the parties and perused the record.
2. By means of this writ petition the petitioner has challenged the impugned order of his removal from service passed by the disciplinary authority dated 10.3.1991.
Facts of the case
3. In a nutshell the facts of the case are that the petitioner while working as a Stenographer under the Deputy Director of Agriculture (Soil Conservation), Bareilly Division, Bareilly committed certain gross illegalities. He was suspended and charge sheet dated 20.5.1986 in respect of five charges and supplementary charge sheet dated 20.7.1986 in respect of three charges was issued to him. The charges against the petitioner were as under:
vkjksi la[;k & 1%& ;g Fkk fd mUgksaus Jh dkS'ky dqekj dqnsf'k;k uked csjkstxkj ;qod fuoklh xzke vxjkl ftyk cjsyh dks vius vk'kqfyfid ds in ij dk;Zjr vof/k esa ,d iphZ dky ysVj ftl ij i=kad 5020 fnukad 10-9-84 iM+k Fkk fuxZr fd;k ftlesa fyfid in ds lk{kkRdkj gsrq fnukad 30-9-84 jfookj dks cqyk;k x;k Fkk rFkk fuxZr i= ij vf/kdkjh ds gLrk{kj Hkh QthZ cuk;sA bl izdkj jkT; deZpkjh vkpj.k fu;ekoyh 1956 ds fu;e 3 1 ,oa 2 dk mya?ku djus ds nks"kh jg Charge No. 1 - The petitioner during the period working as Steno (to appointing authority) issued call letter to unemployed youth Sri Kaushal Kumar Kudesia under dispatch No. 5020 dated 10.9.84 wherein he was called for interview on 30.9.84 (Sunday) and made forged signatures of the authority (appointing) and thus was guilty of violating the provisions of Rule 3(1 and 2) of the U.P. Government Servants' Conduct Rules, 1956.
vkjksi la[;k & 2%& ;g Fkk fd mUgksaus Jh xuherqYyk fuoklh ckaleaMh cjsyh ds uke i=kad 4254 fnukad 16-8-84 fuxZr fd;k ftlesa ;g mYysf[kr fd;k x;k Fkk fd og fnukad 16-9-84 dks fyfid in ds lk{kkRdkj gsrq mifLFkr gks] tcdh dk;kZy; esa dksbZ fyfid in fjDr ugha Fkk vkSj fuxZr i= esa vf/kdkjh ds gLrk{kj Hkh QthZ cuk;s x;s Fks bl izdkj og miz jkT; deZpkjh vkpj.k fu;ekoyh 1956 ds fu;e 3 1 ,oa 2 dk mYya?ku djus ds Hkh nks"kh jgsA Charge No. 2 - The petitioner issued letter under dispatch No. 4254 dated 16.8.84 to Sri Ganimtullah resident of Bansmandi, Bareilly for appearing in interview for the post of clerk on 16.8.84 while there was no vacant post of clerk and also made forged signatures of the authority (appointing) and thus was guilty of violating the provisions of Rule 3(1 and 2) of the U.P. Government Servants' Conduct Rules, 1956.
vkjksi la[;k & 3%& ;g Fkk fd Jh xuherqYyk ds uke fuxZr dky ysVj esa fyfid in ds fy;s lk{kkRdkj gsrq mifLFkr gksus dh frfFk 16-9-84 Fkh tks vdk;Z'khy fnol vFkkZr jfookj Fkk vkSj fyfid in ds fy;s U;wure 'kSf{kd ;ksX;rk bUVjehfM,V FkhA Charge No. 3 - In the letter issued to Sri Ganimtullah the date for appearing in interview for the post of clerk, was 16.8.84 which was non-working day, i.e., Sunday and the minimum qualification for the post of clerk was Intermediate.
vkjksi la[;k & 4%& ;g Fkk fd dk;kZy; vkns'k la[;k 3972 fnukad 23-11-84 ds }kjk Lohd`r fpfdRlk vodk'k] tks fnukad 14-11-84 ls 13-12-84 rd dh vof/k dk Fkk] ds miHkksx mijkUr Jh y{ehdkUr us ;ksxnku ugha fd;k vkSj vius izkFkZuk i= fnukad 12-12-85 ds }kjk fnukad 13-12-84 ls 11-1-85 rd nks fpfdRlk vodk'k ekaxk ftlds lkFk dksbZ MkDVjh izek.k i= layXu ugh fd;k x;k iqu% mUgksaus vius izkFkZuk i= 10-1-85 ,oa 12-12-85 ds }kjk dze'k% 12-1-85 ls 11-1-86 rFkk fnukad 12-1-86 ls 10-7-86 rd ds osrujfgr vodk'k Lohd`r fd;s tkus dh ekax dhA izLrqr vodk'k izkFkZuk i=ks ds n'kkZ;s vk/kkjksa ij osru jfgr vodk'k dh xzkg;rk u ik;s tkus ij mUgsa dk;kZy; i= fnukad 24-6-85] 26-7-85] 1-10-85 ,oa 14-11-85 ds }kjk fLFkfr Li"V djus vksj mifLFkr gksus ds fy, Hkh funsZf'kr fd;k x;kA vr% og vuf/kd`r :i ls jktdh; lsok ls vuqifLFkfr jgus fu;qfDr vf/kdkjh ds vkns'kksa dh vogsyuk rFkk LosPNkpkfjrk n'kkZus ds nks"kh jgsA Charge No. 4 - The petitioner did not join after availing medical leave from 14.11.84 to 13.12.84 sanctioned under Office Order No. 3972 dated 23.11.84 and by his application dated 12.12.85 sought two medical leaves without annexing any medical certificate and again by his applications dated and 12.12.85 sought leave without pay from 12.1.85 to 11.1.86 and to 10.7.86. Finding the applications for grant of leave without pay not maintainable on the grounds shown, he was directed to appear vide Office Orders dated 24.6.85, 26.7.85, 1.10.85 and 14.11.85 in order to explain. By not appearing he was guilty of remaining absent from government duty unauthorisedly, flouting of orders of the appointing authority and showing willful disobedience.
vkjksi la[;k & 5%& ;g Fkk fd Jh y{ehdkUr us vius izkFkZuk i= fnukad 12-12-85 esa vkosfnr 6 ekg ds osru jfgr vodk'k ds lkFk ;g Hkh lwwfpr fd;k fd mudk cjsyh ls dgha vU;= LFkkukUrj.k gks tkrk gS rks og rqjUr ;ksxnku djus dks rRij gS] ftlls ;g Li"V Fkk fd og 'kkldh; vfHkys[kksa esa fd;s x;s "kM;a= ls cpus ds fy;s cjsyh ls tku cw>dj Hkkxs gq;s Fks vkSj dk;kZy; i= fnukad 26-7-85] 1-10-85 ,oa 14-11-85 ds }kjk cqyk;s tkus ij Hkh dk;kZy; mifLFkr u gksus ds nks"kh jgsA Charge No. 5 - The petitioner Laxmi Kant in his application dated 12.12.85 for leave without pay of six months also informed that in case he is transferred from Bareilly to any where he was ready to join there immediately from which it was clear that he was absconding deliberately from Bareilly to escape from the enquiry proceedings in regards to committing forgery in the government documents and despite calling through Office Orders dated 26.7.85, 1.10.85 and 14.11.85 was guilty of nut joining the office.
Note: English Translations of Charge Nos. 1 to 5 are made by Court.
Supplementary charges vkjksi la[;k & 1 ;g fd vkius vjkf/kd`r vodk'k dh vof/k esa vius 'kkldh; lsok;kstd dh vuqefr iwoZ Lohd`fr izkIr fd, cxSj gh fnukad 1-5-85 dks eSustj y{eh iSysl flusek] xka/khuxj nsgyh & 31 dks ,d vkosnu dk ys[kk fyfid ds in ij fu;qfDr gsrq izLrqr fd;k ftlds vk/kkj ij vkidh fu;qfDr Hkh dj yh xbZA bl izdkj jkT; deZpkjh vkpj.k lafgrk 1956 ds fu;e la[;k & 15 esa of.kZr vkpj.k ds izfrdwy vki izkbZosV ukSdjh djus ds nks"kh jgsA vkjksi la[;k & 2 ;g fd eSustj y{eh iSysl flusek] xka/khuxj fnYyh ls feyh lwpuk ds vuqlkj vki vukf/kd`r vodk'k ds le; vius LFkkb fuokl LFkku xzke flaxjk iksvk ehjxat tuin cjsyh esa ugha jgs Fks cfYd xka/khuxj fnYyh esa jg jgs Fks vkSj mDr flusek esa izkbZosV ukSdjh ds ek/; vkius bl dk;kZy; ds i=kad [email protected] @ fnukad 20-7-85 }kjk vkids LFkkbZ ?kj ds irs ij Hksts x;s : 509&00 ds 'kkldh; cSad M~kQ~V la vksVh @ ,&[email protected]& fnukad 25-3-85 dk Hkqxrku izkIr djus gsrq vksfj;UVy vkQ dkelZ xka/khuxj fnYyh esa vki }kjk [kksys x;s [kkrk la 16065 esa dysD'ku gsrq fnukad 30-7-85 esa izLrqr fd;kA bl izdkj vki tkucw> dj vius fuokl LFkku dks vKkr cuk;s j[kus vkSj dk;kZy; dks va/kdkj esa j[kus ds nks"kh jgs rFkk vkidh lR;fu"Bk lafnX/k jghaA vkjksi la[;k & 3 ;g fd eSustj y{eh iSysl flusek fnYyh ls feyh lwpuk ds vuqlkj vki fnukad 23-4-86 dks mudh jkSdM 13900 @& ysdj Qjkj gks x;s vkSj mUgksaus vekur esa [k;kur dhA izFke lwpuk fjiksVZ la[;k 116 iqfyl LVs'ku xka/khuxj esa fnukad 24-4-86 dks vkids f[kykQ Hkkjrh; n.M lafgrk dh /kkjk 408 ds vUrxZr dk;Zokgh gsrq ntZ djk nh gSA bl izdkj vki vijkf/kd d`R; ds nks"kh gSa] rFkk 'kkldh; lsok ds loZFkk v;ksX; gSaA
4. Charge Nos. 1, 2 and 3 of the main charge sheet pertains to issuance of fabricated call letters for service to unemployed persons by making forged signatures of the officer concerned. It is alleged in the charge sheet that the conduct of the petitioner was against Rules 3(1) and (2) of the U.P. State Government Servants Conduct Rules, 1956. Call letters were issued to unemployed youths who were not ever qualified for the post and even no post was vacant against which they were called for appointment.
5. Charge Nos. 4 and 5 of the main charge sheet pertains to remaining absent by the petitioner from duty unauthorisedly, willful disobedience and non-compliance of orders of the appointing authority and showing disrespect to him.
6. The first charge in the supplementary charge sheet was that during the aforesaid period of his absence the petitioner was gainfully employed in private establishment without any sanction or approval of the Government, thus violating Rule 15 of the U.P. State Government Servants Conduct Rules, 1956.
7. The second charge in the supplementary charge sheet is that without information, sanction or approval he also did not inform the Government that he was employed in private establishment in Lakshmi Palace Cinema, Gandhi Nagar, Delhi and did not inform about his whereabouts.
8. It further appears from the record that while the petitioner was surreptitiously employed in a private establishment, i.e., in Lakshmi Palace Cinema, Gandhi Nagar, Delhi while absconding from Government service the again absconded with an embezzled amount of Rs. 13,900/- from his private employer.
9. An F.I.R. for committing an offence under Section 408 I.P.C. was lodged against the petitioner by the Management of Lakshmi Palace Cinema that the petitioner had absconded from the service of the private establishment after committing embezzlement of Rs. 13,900/-. This act of the petitioner according to the charge sheet was a criminal offence, and was misconduct and as such the petitioner was not entitled to remain in Government service.
10. The petitioner submitted his reply to the aforesaid supplementary charges denying employment in Lakshmi Palace Cinema, Gandhi Nagar, Delhi and did not earn wages. He also denied embezzlement stating that he had informed his friends and relatives to write 'Cashier', Lakshmi Palace Cinema, Gandhi Nagar, Delhi on the letters addressed to him so that the same may not be misplaced. He also stated in the reply that he had given back the amount of Rs. 13,900/- to the Management of Lakshmi Palace Cinema who had lodged the F.I.R. under some misconception. The reply to the three chares by the petitioner to the supplementary charge sheet is as under:
^^lsok esa tkWp vf/kdkjh] mid`f"k funs'kd @Hkwla @ cjsyh e.My cjsyh egksn;] iwjd vkjksi i=kad 664 fnukad 22-7-86 ds vuqikyu esa esjk vkjksi okj mRrj fuEu izdkj gS%& vkjksi la[;k & 1 yEch vodk'k vof/k esa eSaus y{eh iSysl flusek xka/khuxj fnYyh vFkok vU; dgha Hkh ukSdjh ugha dh vkSj tc ukSdjh gh ugha dh rks osru izkIr djus dk rks iz'u gh ugha mBrk gSA 'kkjhfjd O;kf/k;ksa ds lkFk lkFk ikfjokfjd & O;fDrxr leL;kvksa ds o'khHkwr gksdj tc eSa fnYyh igqWpk rks eSus y{eh flusek ds Hkkxkhnkjksa Jh bUnzlsu tSu] Jh ,plhtSu] Jh ,eihtSu vkfn ls lEidZ LFkkfir fd;kA mDr Hkkxhnkjksa ls esjs ikfjokfjd eS=hiw.kZ lEcU/k Fks vkSj gSA eq>s ijs'kku ns[kdj bUgksus esjh lgk;rk dh vkSj blh lanHkZ esa izs{kkxzg ifjlj esa gh ,d [kkyh d{k jgus gsrq ns fn;kA eSa vkfFkZd :i ls ijs'kku Fkk vkSj bu yksxksa ij vf/kd cks> ugha cuuk&pkgrk FkkA blh mn~ns'; ls eSaus Lokeh izca/kd y{eh iSysl flusek xka/khuxj ds uke ,d izkFkZuk i= ns fn;k FkkA buds ;gkW ds equhe dk LoxZokl gks pqdk Fkk vkSj fglkc fdrkc Lo;a Hkkxhnkj Jh ,plhtSu ns[kk djrs FksA pwWfd eSa dyk dk fo|kFkhZ jgk gwW vr% ys[kk lEcU/kh esjk Kku 'kwU;lk gh gSA flusek ds Hkkxhnkjks @ izcU/kd dh vksj ls eq>s dksbZ fu;qfDr i= ugha fn;k x;k vkSj uk eSa bl in ds ;ksX; gh FkkA pwWfd eSa flusek ifjlj esa jgrk Fkk vr% flusek ds dk;Zy; esa vkuk tkuk ogkW cSBuk gksrk jgrk FkkA Jh ,plhtSu tks ,dkmUV lEcU/kh vfHkys[k Lo;a ns[krs&Hkjrs Fks] ds dk;Z esa muls gh iwWN&iwWN dj dHkh&dHkh lg;ksx dj fn;k djrk FkkA vkjksi la[;k&2 pwWfd yksxksa us eq>s dk;kZy; esa cSBs dk;Z djrs ns[kk blh ls Hkze o'k yksx eq>s [ktkWph le>us yxs vkSj blh lEcks/ku ls iqdkjus yxsA tc eSaus vius ?kj flaxjk xzke LFkk;h vkokl i= Mkyk rks bl vk'k; ls ;g fy[k fn;k fd ^^i= ij dSf'k;j y{eh flusek** fy[k fn;k djsa rks b/kj m/kj ugha gksxk ;gh vius fe=ksa dks Hkh fy[k fn;kA blh ls tc vkids dk;kZy; ls M~kQ~V LFkk;h vkokl irs ij Hkstk x;k rks og ogkW ls eq>s Hkst fn;k x;k vkSj eSaus cSad esa [kkrk [kksydj mls tek djk fn;kA eSa O;fDrxr ijs'kkuh ds dkj.k ,oa chekjh ds bykt vkfn dh otg ls ,d LFkku ij ugha :d ik;k tc fnYyh esa vk;k rks fnYyh dk irk lcdks crk fn;k tgkW rd LFkk;h irs dk lEcU/k gS esjk xzke flaxjk gh LFkk;h irk gS vkSj Fkk Nqikus dk iz'u gh dgkW gSA ;g lR; gS fd eSa vius LFkk;h vkokl ij ca/kdj ugha jg ldrk vkSj brus yEcs le; rd ,d gh LFkku ij ugha jg ldk vkSj brus yEcs le; rd ,d gh LFkku ij ca/kdj jg lduk lEHko ugha gks ldk blesa dkj.k esjh ekufld O;fDrxr ,oa ikfjokfjd ifjfLFkfr;kW jghaA ;g dguk fd eSaus tkucw> dj vius fuokl LFkku dks vKkr cuk;s j[kk] U;k;ksfpr ugha gSA ;gkW ,d ckj iqu% ;g dguk pkgwWxk fd flusek xka/khuxj esa eSaus dksbZ ukSdjh ugha dh vkSj uk gh fdlh izdkj dk osru izkIr fd;kA vkjksi la[;k & 3 fdlh O;fDr ds fo:) dksbZ O;fDr lEcU/k fcxM tkus ij ;k Hkzeo'k ;fn dksbZ eqdnek nk;j dj nsrk gS rks rc rd mls nks"kh ugha ekuk tk ldrk tc rd fd U;k;ky; mls nks"kh ekurs gq;s lqukA tqekZuk vkfn u dj nsA izLrqr izdj.k esa ,slk dqN ugha gS fd eSaus dksbZ vekur esa [k;kur dh gksA okLro esa eSa flusek ekfydksa ds ifjokj dk gh lnL; ekuk tkrk FkkA ekfyd us ,sls le; esa eq>s 13000 @ &: ,d Bsdsnkj dks igqpkus gsrq fn;s Fks ftlus flusek dh lhfyax Bhd dh Fkh fn;s Fks tc eSa cjsyh nwljs fnu vo'; gh igqWpuk pkgrk FkkA Bsdsnkj eq>s feyk ugha vkSj eSa cjsyh pyk vk;kA tc :i;s dh fLFkfr dks le>k rc rqjUr fnYyh tk dj muds :i;s okil dj fn;sA vc eSaus muds :i;s okil dj fn;sA vc esjs muds e/; fdlh izdkj dk dksbZ erHksn ugha gSA bldk blls cM+k vkSj D;k izek.k gks ldrk gS fd yxHkx N% eklksa ls eSa cjsyh esa ljdkjh vkokl es gh jg jgk gwW vkSj dk;kZy; Hkh vko';drkuqlkj vk;k gwWA ;fn ,slk dqN gksrk rks og yksx vo'; gh dksbZ dk;Zokgh djrsA izkFkhZ y{ehdkUr vk'kqfyfid fu 34 @ 3 VkbZi !! ihMCywMh dkyksuh] cjsyh**
11. After enquiry the Enquiry Officer submitted his report dated 11.2.1988 to the disciplinary authority who vide impugned order dated 10.3.1991 imposed punishment of removal from service of the petitioner.
12. Aggrieved by the order of removal from service, the petitioner filed an appeal in April 1991. As the appeal of the petitioner remained unactioned, he filed Writ Petition No. 30633 of 1999 before this Court which was disposed of vide judgment dated 2.7.1999 directing respondent No. 1 to decide the appeal of the petitioner within 40 days from the date of production of a certified copy of that order. In pursuance of the judgment the appellate authority decided the appeal vide order dated 3.3.2000 which is impugned to the writ petition.
13. The learned Counsel for the petitioner has assailed the order of the appellate authority on the ground that the Enquiry Officer had no authority to recommend punishment of removal of the petitioner from service to the disciplinary authority and this act of the Enquiry Officer being illegal and without jurisdiction vitiates the findings of the Enquiry Officer in the enquiry report.
14. The other ground for assailing the appellate order impugned to this writ petition is that the petitioner had not been furnished a copy of the enquiry report prior to passing of the order dated 10.3.1991 nor he has been supplied the enquiry report along with the impugned order of dismissal which is against the principle of natural justice.
15. In so far as the charges levelled against the petitioner are concerned, the learned Counsel for the petitioner has urged that a perusal of the impugned order passed against the petitioner establishes that as regard charge No. 1, even according to the disciplinary authority, Kaushal Kumar Kudesia, the complainant of the said charges did not recognize the petitioner as the person who is said to have issued call letter to him. He submits that the said charge is said to have been proved on the basis of the fact that the call letter was in the hand writing of the appellant, but no evidence or material has been indicated in the impugned order as to how the disciplinary authority came to the conclusion that the call letter was in the hand writing of the petitioner and even assuming that it was in the hand writing of the petitioner, it would not establish that the call letter was forged and prepared by the petitioner.
16. As regards charge No. 2 also it is submitted that there is no finding as to how the call letter can be said to have been issued by the appellant to the complainant and that there is further no finding that the said call letter was handed over to the complainant by the appellant. Merely because the call letter was in the hand writing of the appellant it could not be concluded that the appellant was responsible for forging the call letter or for issuing it. Similarly it is submitted that in the absence of any finding that the call letter was issued by the appellant, charge No. 3 also cannot be said to be proved and the said charge does not constitute misconduct.
17. In so far as charge Nos. 4 and 5 are concerned, it is next submitted that the appellant had submitted medical certificates with regard to the period of his so called absence from duty which were not considered by the disciplinary authority and without any finding that the petitioner was in fact not ill and the medical certificates submitted by him were false, the disciplinary authority had no jurisdiction to punish the appellant for being absent from duty. The charges are thus based on conjectures and surmises.
18. As regards charge Nos. 1 to 3 of the supplementary charge-sheet dated 22.7.1986 it is submitted by the learned Counsel for the petitioner that they are also perverse and that the petitioner has been held guilty of the said charges without giving him any opportunity of defending himself as he was neither informed of the documents submitted by the Manager Lakshmi Palace Cinema, Gandhi Nagar, New Delhi nor was he given an opportunity to rebut the said documents. It is urged that the disciplinary authority therefore had no authority to punish the petitioner for the alleged criminal breach of trust in respect of the money belonging to Sri H.C. Jain, Partner of Lakshmi Palace Cinema in view of the fact that the said case is yet to culminate in conviction of the appellant and no oral evidence was adduced before the Enquiry Officer to prove the documents, hence the impugned order passed against the petitioner is illegal and is liable to be set aside.
19. The learned Standing Counsel has placed reliance upon the averments made in the counter affidavit and submits that the petitioner had committed gross misconduct as is apparent from the charges levelled against him. The Enquiry Officer has given a finding of fact based on record and evidence regarding the guilt of the petitioner. The appointing authority/disciplinary authority also has passed the impugned order of removal of the petitioner from service after having considered the enquiry report and the reply of the petitioner as well as the material on record. He further submits that it is settled law that the petitioner has not only to plead that non-supply of the enquiry report prejudiced his case but has also to prove the same, as such mere allegation of non-supply of enquiry report do not help the petitioner's case in the absence of pleading of prejudiced cause to the petitioner. It is urged that merely because the Enquiry Officer has in ignorance of law recommended the punishment also in the Enquiry Report, it will not vitiate the entire enquiry proceedings which have been held in accordance with law and that the recommendation part of the enquiry report is wholly immaterial as the disciplinary authority has applied his independent mind to the question of awarding of punishment. He further submits that the petitioner had neither requested for supply of the copy of Enquiry Report from the appointing authority/disciplinary authority nor submitted any reply to the show cause notice issued to him against the proposed punishment and as such the petitioner cannot now at this stage make a grievance that the enquiry proceedings were vitiated as the copy of the Enquiry Report was not supplied to him it has been vehemently urged by the learned Standing Counsel that no material whatsoever has been placed even now by the petitioner before this Court to establish that any prejudice was caused to him due to non-supply of the Enquiry Report and as such the impugned order is liable to be upheld.
20. It is lastly urged by the learned Standing Counsel appearing for the respondents that the petitioner has assailed the Enquiry Report as well as the appellate court order on the ground of circumstantial facts. He has not shown any perversity in the order impugned to the writ petition. He states that the Enquiry Officer has recorded findings of facts on the basis of material evidence available on record and has given cogent reasons for the conclusion arrived at by him. The disciplinary authority after independent application of mind to the facts and evidence on record concurred with the findings of the Enquiry Officer and has come to the same conclusion that the petitioner was guilty of misconduct. The appointing authority/disciplinary authority in the circumstances has rightly passed the impugned order of removal of the petitioner from service.
Conclusions:
21. The admitted facts culled out from the record and the arguments of the learned Counsel for the parties are that the petitioner did not want to work at Bareilly as he wanted to avoid the proceedings relating to his misconduct of issuing forged letters, as such he absented from the office and submitted applications for leave on various grounds. During the aforesaid period he was gainfully employed with M/s Lakshmi Palace Cinema, Gandhi Nagar, Delhi as Cashier and had opened a bank account giving his address of M/s Lakshmi Palace Cinema, Gandhi Nagar, Delhi for depositing the entire demand drafts received from the candidates applying for the post in pursuance of the forged call letters issued by the petitioner.
22. The petitioner vide his letter dated 12.12.1985 while applying for six months' leave without pay had also informed the department that cue to certain domestic problems he was unable to do Government work at Bareilly and requested to be transferred out of Bareilly. This also supports the case of the respondents that the petitioner was absconding from the office as he had manipulated and manufactured forged Government papers regarding employment to unemployed youths who were not even eligible for the post. It is those youths who were cheated by the petitioner and who also had lodged the complaint, Undisputedly the letters issued to them are in the handwriting of the petitioner and the defence taken by him that it was not handed over by him to the complainant or the persons to whom the letters were issued did not recognize the petitioner is of no help. There is no allegation against the petitioner that he had handed over these call letters personally to the complaints. There is no question of recognizing and handing over the letters as to who has posted or fabricated them. Since the letters were in the handwriting of the petitioner and signatures of the appointing authority were forged on it there was no illegality in arriving at the conclusion that the petitioner was responsible for sending the call letters and issuing of it. Though the petitioner has denied his employment with M/s Lakshmi Palace Cinema, Gandhi Nagar, Delhi but it is apparent that F.I.R. was lodged against him as an employee of that establishment.
23. He also appears to have run away with a sum of Rs. 13,900/- belonging to M/s Lakshmi Palace Cinema, Gandhi Nagar, Delhi regarding which the partner of M/s Lakshmi Palace Cinema, Gandhi Nagar, Delhi, Sri H.C. Jain lodged an F.I.R. against him under Section 408 I.P.C. It appears that after lodging of the F.I.R. the petitioner returned the money. Thus, the factum that the petitioner was working as a Cashier in M/s Lakshmi Palace Cinema, Gandhi Nagar, Delhi and had embezzled the amount of Rs. 13,900A is proved from the records.
24. In so far as medical certificates are concerned again admittedly the petitioner was working in M/s Lakshmi Palace Cinema, Gandhi Nagar, Delhi during the period regarding which he was shown to be under medical treatment. It does not appeal to reason that the person could be omnipresent and could have worked at the same time in M/s Laksmi Palace Cinema, Gandhi Nagar, Delhi and in the office at Bareilly where he was in Government service. The only conclusion is that he was absenting/absconding from Bareilly office, as he did not want to remain there for the reason that he had committed misconduct by fabricating Government documents and it is sufficiently proved from record that he was at Delhi during the period. It cannot therefore be said that the charges are on based on conjectures and surmises.
25. The petitioner had not pleaded non-supply of Enquiry Report prior to passing of the impugned order. The disciplinary authority has considered the fact regarding punishment recommended by the Enquiry Officer and held that he did not agree with that part of the report and had independently applied his mind to the gravity of the charges and the punishment awarded. The relevant extract of that order is as under:
^^tkWp vf/dkjh us bl vkjksi ds lEcU/k esa vius fu"d"kZ esa ;g dgk gS fd bl vijkf/kd d`R; dks foospuk fnYyh iqfyl }kjk dh tk jgh gS vkSj bl ij ;fn Jh lDlSuk ds foijhr l{ke U;k;ky; }kjk dksbZ n.M fn;k tkrk gS rks og mls ekU; gksxkA eSa tkWp vf/dkjha }kjk fudkys x;s fu"d"kZ ls lger gwWA izsf"kr tkWp fu"d"kZ vk[;k ds vUr esa tkWp vf/kdkjh }kjk dfri; n.Mksa dk izLrko Hkh fn;k x;k Fkk] ftlls eSa lger gwW D;ksafd fu;ekuqlkj mUgsa n.M izLrkfor djus dk vf/kdkj izkIr ugha FkkA ekeys ds xgu v/;;u] miyC/k vfHkys[kh; lk{;ksa rFkk izLrqr fu"d"kZ fjiksVZ ds lE;d ,oa LorU= ijh{kk.kksijkUr Jh lDlSuk ds foijhr fl) ik;s x;s vkjksiksa dh xEHkhjrk dks n`f"Vxr j[krs gq;s og o`gr n.M ikus ds loZFkk ik= gSa vkSj 'kkldh; lsok ds v;ksX; gSA vr% ,rn }kjk Jh lDlSuk dks fuEufyf[kr n.M fn;s tkus ds vkns'k ikfjr fd;s tkrs gSa%& 1- Jh y{eh dkUr lDlSuk vk'kqfyfid dks rRdky izHkko ls 'kkldh; lsok ls inP;qr fd;k tkrk gSA 2- fuyEcu vof/k esa Jh lDlSuk dks Hkqxrku fd;s x;s thou fuokZg HkRrs ds vykok mUgsa vU; dksbZ osru ,oa HkRrs ns; u gksxsaA 3- fnukad 14-12-84 ls fuyEcu vkns'k fuxZr fd;s tkus dh frfFk rd dh vuqifLFkfr dh vof/k ds fy;s og 'kklu ls dksbZ osru ,oa HkRrs ikus ds gdnkj u gksaxsA 4- Jh lDlSuk }kjk /kkfjr vk'kqfyfid ds LFkkbZ in ls mudh /kkj.kkf/kdkjh rRdky izHkko ls lekIr fd;k tkrk gSA gvLi"V ohj iky flag mi d`f"k funs'kd Hkwfe laj{k.k cjsyh e.My cjsyh ,oa fu;qfDr vf/kdkjh**
26. The recommendation of punishment by the Enquiry Officer will not vitiate the whole inquiry Report and such recommendation is to be ignored having its no value in law. The petitioner has committed criminal breach of trust which is supported by the fact that the petitioner himself has admitted that he had returned the money of M/s Lakshmi Palace Cinema, Gandhi Nagar, Delhi to the owners and now there is no ill will between them. It is established of the facts and circumstances of the case and the record that the petitioner was gainfully employed in private establishment during the period he was absconding from Government service. The fact that complaints were made against the petitioner for issuance of forged call letters for their appointment and that the Manager of M/s Lakshmi Palace Cinema, Gandhi Nagar, Delhi had lodged an F.I.R. against the petitioner under Section 408 I.P.C. for embezzling their money i.e., Rs. 13,900/- cannot be overlooked. The conduct of the petitioner in totality does not inspire confidence in him. On the contrary the record goes against him.
27. For all the reasons stated above and in the circumstances stated above, I do not find any illegality or infirmity in the impugned order. The punishment awarded to the petitioner is just and in proportionate to the charges levelled against him. It is not case for interference under Article 226 of the Constitution.
28. The writ petition is accordingly dismissed. No order as to costs.