Judgment

Thomas, J.-Appellant had a steep rise in the hierarchy of Indian Revenue Service and was held in great esteem by his superiors until the dawn of 1985 which marked the beginning of his downfall. He sud­denly fell from grace as his integrity was eclipsed by the dark clouds of doubts entertained by his superiors. Consequently at the age of 52 he was asked to quit the department by terming the action as “compul­sory retirement”. If appellant’s stand is correct he would have felt the same way as Cardinal Thomas Wolsey had lamented four centuries ago when his master Henry VIII King of England suddenly stripped him of his high office and indicted him to face a trial. “If I had served God as diligently as I have done the King. He would not have given me over in my grey hairs”.

2. On 9.10.1985, Government of India (Ministry of Finance) axed the appellant down by serving an order of compulsory retirement. Though he challenged the order before Central Administrative Tribunal (New Delhi Bench) he was unsuccessful. Hence he has filed this appeal by special leave.

3. A resume of facts which led to the said necking off is the follow­ing:

Appellant joined Indian Revenue Service in the year 19