JUDGMENT :

A.M. Khanwilkar, J.

The short question involved in this appeal is: whether the High Court was justified in directing stay of the disciplinary proceedings initiated by the appellant-Bank against the respondent until the closure of recording of prosecution evidence in the criminal case instituted against the respondent, based on the same facts?

2. The respondent was appointed in the clerical cadre of the appellant-Bank. At the relevant time, she was working as an Assistant (Clearing). Allegedly, some time on 29th May 2006, the respondent by her acts of commission and omission caused loss to the Bank in the sum of Rs. 44,40,819/- by granting credit to one Laxman Parsad Ratre (who was an employee of Bhilai Steel Plant). The respondent herself introduced Laxman Parsad Ratre to open an account in the appellant Bank. On 7th November 2006, the respondent was placed under suspension for indulging in gross irregularities and misconduct including of misplacing the clearing instruments relating to various customers. The respondent vide letter dated 8th November 2006, not only adm