1. Heard learned counsel for the petitioners and Mr. Prabhakar Tekriwal appearing on behalf of the Food Corporation of India.

2. The petitioners are aggrieved by order, dated 29.6.2000 passed by the District Manager, Food Corporation of India, Chapra (hereinafter referred to as the Corporation)-and the order of the Senior Manager, dated 26.12.2000 and the orders affirming the aforesaid two orders passed by the Zonal Manager East of (he Corporation by which the review application was dismissed. By the aforesaid orders the petitioners were imposed penally in a departmental proceeding.

3. There are two petitioners before this court and except for only a few variations in the dates, the cases of the two petitioners are same.

4. The petitioners were working as Depot Incharge. Petitioner no. lwas Assistant Grade I (D) and petitioner no.2 was Assistant Grade II (D) at Hajipur during the relevant period and they were incharge of the Storage depot of the Corporation at Hajipur. The petitioners were issued a show cause notice on 21.4.1999 and 16.10.1999 respectively from the District Manager of the Corporal ion at Chapra to show cause on an alleged misconduct relating to entry in the