JUDGMENT :

Abhay Manohar Sapre, J.

1. This appeal is filed against the final judgment and order dated 09.05.2007 passed by the High Court of Madhya Pradesh at Jabalpur in Writ Appeal No. 171 of 2006 whereby the Division Bench of the High Court dismissed the appeal filed by the appellant preferred against the judgment and order dated 20.04.2006 of the Single Judge of the High Court in Writ Petition No. 3842 of 2002 by which the Single Judge dismissed the writ petition of the appellant wherein the challenge was to the order dated 20.03.2001 passed by the Chief Manager, Bank of India (respondent No.3 herein) imposing the punishment of reduction of his basic pay by five stages on the appellant.

2. In order to appreciate the issue involved in this appeal, it is necessary to set out the relevant facts in brief infra.

3. The appellant was an employee of the Bank of India. He was posted as Branch Manager, Panagar Branch, Jabalpur Region from 04.07.1996 to 26.05.1999. According to the appellant, during his tenure, the profits of the said Branch were increased from 2 lakhs to 30 lakhs, deposits were increased from 6 crores to 11 crores and advances were increased from 2 crores to 4 crores. The a