1994 Supreme(Raj) 518
Rajasthan High Court, Jaipur Bench
Honble ArunMadan, J.
Damodar Dusad - Appellant
Versus
The State of Rajasthan and Others - Respondents
S.B. Civil Writ Petition No. 1316 of 1986
Decided On : November 24, 1994
M.M. Ranjan, for Petitioner None , for Respondents
Headnote:Rajasthan Co-operative Societies Act, 1965-Section 74 and Constitution of India — Article 226—There was a case of embezzlement in the accounts of Rajasthan Industrial Co-operative Bank, Jaipur —Petitioner merely an account holder with the said bank—Bank audit proceeded against the petitioner u/s. 74 and attached his property— Petitioner objected the attachment, the auction, and demanded compensation—Held — Proceedings initiated are contrary to the provisions of Section 74 and are quashed—Costs Rs. 2,500/- was quantified and orders passed for restoration of possession. (Para 7 & 8) Writ accepted
"74. Surcharge.—(1) If in the course of an audit, inquiry, inspection or the winding up of a co-operative society, it is found that any person, who has taken any part in the organisation or management of such society or who is or has at any time been an officer or an employee of the society, has made any payment contrary to this Act, the rules or the bye-laws or has caused any deficiency in the assets of the society by breach of trust or willful negligence or has misappropriated or fraudulently retained any money or other property belonging to such society, the Registrar may, of his own motion or on the application of the committee, liquidator or any creditor, inquire himself or direct any person authorised by him by an order in writing in this behalf, to inquire into the conduct of such person :
Provided that no such inquiry shall be held after the expiry of six years from the date of any act or omission referred to in this sub-section."
(2). It is submitted by the learned counsel for the petitioner that keeping in view the aforesaid statutory provisions and the safeguard available under the said provisions to the petitioner, it was not open to the Registrar to effect the attachment of the property in question as he was having limited scope of powers under the said provision in as much as the Registrar on the basis of the Audit Report or Inquiry or Inspection Report, in respect of the remissions in question, could, at the most, on his own motion or. on the application of the committee, liquidator or any creditor, could inquire either himself or direct any person authorised by him, by an order in writing in this behalf, regarding conduct