JUDGMENT

Chakradhari Sharan Singh, J. - Sixteen persons were reported dead because ofconsumption of illicit liquor on 16.08.2016 in village Khajuria, falling under Gopalganj (Town) Police Station in the District of Gopalganj. The petitioner, on the said date, was posted as an Armed Guard in the said Police Station. After receiving the said information, a raid was conducted, leading to recovery of huge quantity of semi fermented country made liquor and other intermediate/final products intended to be used in the preparation of country-made liquor. An F.I.R. was registered as Gopalganj P.S. Case No. 347 of 2016.

2. Soon thereafter, the petitioner along with 29 police personnel posted in the Police Station was placed under suspension as a fallout of the occurrence. The petitioner was placed under suspension vide order no. 738/16 dated 18.08.2016. The order of suspension was subsequently revoked by an order dated 05.01.2017 and a decision was taken to initiate departmental proceeding against him. Charges were framed against the petitioner by the Superintendent of Police, Gopalganj, which were issued vide memo no. 217 dated 07.02.2017 (Annexure 1). The charge sheet has been brought on rec