Judgment

RANGANATHAN, J. :- This is an appeal by special leave from an order dt/- 2nd Sept. 1980 of the Allahabad High Court. By the above order, the High Court had dismissed in limine the writ petition filed by the appellant challenging his removal from the service of the Food Corporation of India (hereinafter referred to as the Corporation).

2. The appellant was the District Manager of the Corporation at Allahabad from Dec. 1975 till April, 1978. During the period from Dec. 1975 till the middle of May, 1976, he also held additional charge as its District Manager at Gorakhpur. The charge against the appellant was that during the period he functioned as District Manager, Allahabad, "he failed to maintain absolute integrity and devotion of duty and committed misconduct inasmuch as he showed undue favour to M/s. Iqbal Ahmed Ansari by purchasing pateramats from the said firm at the rate of Rs. 7 per 100 sq. ft. up to 15-5-1976 and after that at Rs. 8.20 per 100 sq. ft. without calling for any quotations and by ignoring the rate fixed by the Regional Manager, Lucknow at Rs. 6.74 per 10 square meters and thus caused total loss of Rs. 24,900.35 to the Corporation". An inquiry on the above