Cyriac Joseph, J.

1. The appellant in this Writ Appeal is the petitioner in O.P.No. 15632 of 2000. While the appellant was working as Forester in the Forest Department of the Government of Kerala, he was charge sheeted in connection with certain irregularities allegedly committed during 1982-83 in the Social Forestry Units, Palakkad and Pattambi and certain irregularities allegedly committed during 1984 in the Social Forestry Unit, Palakkad. As per the charge sheet, the charges levelled against the appellant were:

(a) Misappropriated government money without actually doing the works as per estimate provisions.

(b) Manipulated government records to suit personal gain and

(c) Supervisory failure in proper execution of departmental works resulted in the failure of many nurseries, causing heavy loss to the government to the tune of Rs.61,274.27.

The appellant submitted his explanation denying the charges against him. After detailed enquiry, the enquiry officer found that the charges against the appellant had not been proved. Accepting the report of the enquiry officer (Custodian/ Conservator of Vested Forests, Kozhikode), the Chief Conservator of Forests dropped all further proceedi