SupremeToday Landscape Ad
Back
Next
Judicial Analysis Court Copy Headnote Facts Arguments Court observation
Listen Audio Icon Pause Audio Icon
judgment-img

2021 Supreme(Jhk) 584

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JHARKHAND AT RANCHI
S. N. Pathak, J.
Rajendra Prasad Sharma – Petitioner
Versus
The State of Jharkhand through the Principal Secretary, School, Education and Literacy Department and ors. – Respondents
W.P. (S) No. 415 of 2021
Decided On : 02-11-2021

Advocates:
Advocate Appeared:
For the Petitioner: Rahul Kumar, Ms. Apoorva Singh
For the Respondent: Suresh Kumar, SC (L & C)-II

Headnote:

Constitution of India, 1950 - Article 311(2), 311(1), 226 - Jharkhand Government Servant (Classification Control and Appeal) Rules, 2016 -Rule 17, 14, 27 - CCS (CCA) Rules, 1965 - Rule 14(3) - Petitioner was appointed to post of Assistant Teacher in Science subject in Government Middle School - Thereafter, he was appointed as Block Education Extension Officer through competitive examination held for Sub-ordinate Education Service in year, 1989 and was posted - Since his appointment, petitioner served at different places of posting with utmost sincerity - Whether Enquiry Officer who is supposed to act independently in an inquiry has acted as prosecutor or not is a question of fact which has to be decided on the facts and proceedings of a particular case - Whether unrebutted evidence is sufficient to hold that the charges are proved – Held, it is well settled that availability of an alternative remedy does not prohibit High Court from entertaining a writ petition in an appropriate case - High Court may entertain a writ petition, notwithstanding the availability of an alternative remedy, particularly (1) where the writ petition seeks enforcement of a fundamental right, (ii) where there is failure of principles of natural justice or (iii) where the impugned orders or proceedings are wholly without jurisdiction or (iv) the rives of an Act is under challenge - As a sequel to the aforesaid rules, guidelines and judicial pronouncement, the impugned order of dismissal is fit to be quashed and set aside and same is hereby quashed and set aside - As a result of quashment of impugned order, petitioner is directed to be reinstated into services with 50 % backwages to be paid to him from the date of dismissal to reinstatement with all consequential benefits, in accordance with law, within a period of six weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order – It is made clear that if petitioner has already crossed the age of superannuation, respondents shall take appropriate decision for making payment of aforesaid benefits to him from date of his dismissal till date of his superannuation, in accordance with law, within aforesaid period itself - Petition allowed.

ORDER :

S.N. Pathak, J.

The petitioner has approached this Court for quashing the order as contained in Memo No. 54 dated 12.01.2021 (Annexure-12) passed by the Director, Primary Education, whereby and whereunder the petitioner has been imposed with a major punishment of dismissal from service without conducting a proper and full-fledged Departmental Proceeding by competent authority. Further, prayer has been made for quashing the Memo of Charge dated 05.09.2020 (Annexure-1) and to reinstate the petitioner in service with back wages along with all consequential benefits.

2. The case of the petitioner lies in a narrow compass. The Petitioner was appointed to the post of Assistant Teacher in Science subject on 14.05.1988 in Government Middle School, Jalim, Latehar. Thereafter, he was appointed as Block Education Extension Officer (hereinafter referred as BEEO) on 10.04.1992 through competitive examination held for Sub-ordinate Education Service in the year, 1989 and was posted at Bero, Ranchi. Since his appointment, the petitioner served at different places of posting with utmost sincerity. During the period 2019-20, when the petitioner was posted as BEEO at Patratu-I in Ramgarh District including the additional charge of Patratu-II, a Charge Memo dated 05.09.2020 was framed against him without any show cause notice for not submitting the reports within time and misusing his chair to coerce the teachers into getting insurance policies from his wife, who is an Insurance Agent. The said Memo of Charge has been issued jointly by the Office of the District Superintendent of Education, Ramgarh and Deputy Commissioner, Ramgarh. While the petitioner was oblivious to the Memo of Charge framed against him, the said Charge of Memo was forwarded by the Respondent- DSE to the Director, Primary Education vide his letter contained in memo No. 1297 dated 08.09.2020. for further proceeding. It is specific case of the petitioner that when the Memo of Charge was served upon the petitioner, the supporting documents containing the relied upon documents/evidence were not supplied to him. Thereafter, vide letter contained in memo No. 1199 dated 24.09.2020 issued by the Under Secretary, Primary Education by which the petitioner was called upon hearing of the matter. Pursuant to the same, the petitioner appeared before the respondent-Director, Primary Education on 24.09.2020 and was directed to immediately give his written reply to six charges framed against him, which the petitioner submitted carefully, elucidating that all the required reports for his districts had been duly submitted and he had never misused his position to coerce the teachers into getting insurance policies. Thereafter, the Director, Primary Education vide his office order dated 02.11.2020 recorded a finding that the petitioner was guilty of the charges and directed that second show cause may be issued to him and he be suspended with immediate effect although nothing cogent had been brought on record to substantiate the charges of imputation relating to dereliction of duties and coerce of teachers. Upon the direction of the Director, Primary Education, the petitioner was suspended vide Office order contained in Memo No. 1335 dated 10.11.2020 issued by the Deputy Director, Primary Education. The second show cause was issued to the petitioner vide letter contained in Memo No. 1370 dated 23.11.2020 by the Under Secretary, Primary Education and petitioner was directed to submit his reply, within 15 days. Pursuant to the same, the petitioner replied vide his letter dated 04.12.2020 requesting the authorities to clarify certain aspects w.r.t. disciplinary proceedings initiated against him and also prayed for time to submit his reply and take effective defense. In the meanwhile, the respondents have exonerated 31 Assistant Teachers, who were alleged to have been taken undue advantage of the position of the petitioner in order to get their insurance policies and their salaries were released v

Click Here to Read the rest of this document
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
SupremeToday Portrait Ad
supreme today icon
logo-black

An indispensable Tool for Legal Professionals, Endorsed by Various High Court and Judicial Officers

Please visit our Training & Support
Center or Contact Us for assistance

qr

Scan Me!

India’s Legal research and Law Firm App, Download now!

For Daily Legal Updates, Join us on :

whatsapp-icon Back to top