Ranjan Gogoi, J.

1. The writ petition filed by the Appellant challenging the penalty of removal from service having been rejected by the learned Single Judge by order dated 8.2.2006 the present appeal has been filed.

2. The facts that will be required to be recited for the purpose of the present adjudication may now be briefly noticed.

At the relevant point of time the Appellant-writ Petitioner was holding the post of Branch Manager, Bharalumukh Branch of the United Bank of India. On 16.2.1996 he was placed under suspension. Simultaneously a charge-sheet containing four charges was served on the Appellant. The Appellant submitted his reply to the aforesaid charge memo on 15.7.1996 denying the allegations levelled against him. The reply of the Appellant not having been found to be satisfactory an enquiry was ordered into the charges levelled. The Appellant participated in the said enquiry which ended in the report of the Enquiry Officer dated 31.12.1997 holding all the charges levelled against the Appellant to have been proved. On 9.1.1998 the Appellant was served with a copy of the enquiry report to which he submitted his reply. Thereafter, the impugned order dated 12.10.1999