Sambuddha Chakrabarti, J.

The facts of the present case can be reduced to a short compass.

2. The petitioner was appointed as a Clerk-cum-Cashier in Punjab National Bank (PNB, for short) in the year 1978. In the year 1983 an FIR was lodged with the concerned police station by the bank authorities against the petitioner alleging cash shortage of Rs. 25,400/-. Another FIR was lodged against the petitioner by the same authorities in December, 1984 alleging misappropriation of Rs. 7,000/-. In both the cases charge-sheets were filed against the petitioner in the year 1985 and 1993 respectively.

3. Simultaneously the respondents nos. 2 and 3, i.e., the bank authorities, decided to initiate a departmental enquiry and consequently charge-sheet was issued. The first charge against the petitioner related to cash shortage of Rs. 25,400/- and the second charge was with regard to superfluous cash deposit entries amounting to Rs. 25,050/- made in the ledger on various dates without any corresponding entry in their relevant documents.

4. In reply the petitioner wanted the supply and inspection of certain documents which, the petitioner alleges, were not supplied to him.

5. In the enquiry pro