JUDGMENT :-

Jagdish Singh Khehar, J.

1. Leave granted.

2. The appellant was inducted into the service of the Punjab National Bank (hereinafter referred to as, the PNB) in the clerical cadre on 19.2.1958. He was successively promoted against the posts of Special Assistant and Accountant with effect from 23.8.1972 and 26.12.1974. He also gained further promotions to the cadres of Manager-B Grade and thereafter, Manager-A Grade with effect from 24.11.1977 and 18.12.1982 respectively. He finally came to be promoted to the post of Chief Manager with effect from 1.10.1986. Whilst holding the post of Chief Manager, the appellant retired from service, on attaining the age of superannuation on 31.10.1996.

3. During 1981-1982, when the appellant was posted as Manager at the Sector 19, Chandigarh Branch of the PNB, he was accused of having entered into a conspiracy with R.L. Vaid, the then Regional Manager of the PNB, Chandigarh, and Dr. A.K. Sinha, IAS, the then Secretary, Department of Town and Country Planning, Haryana and thereby, of fraudulently having sanctioned a loan of Rs.2,70,000/-to Mrs. Rama Sinha (wife of Dr. A.K. Sinha, aforementioned). The said loan was granted to Mrs.Rama Sin