P.K. Misra, J.

The facts giving rise to the present writ petition are as follows:-

The petitioner entered service as Police Constable Grade II and was subsequently promoted as Police Constable Grade I in the year 1992. While he was so functioning as Grade I Police Constable, on the basis of a complaint filed by one Murugesan regarding assault by the present petitioner, a case was registered by the Inspector of Police and the matter was referred to the Revenue Divisional Officer. On the basis of the findings of the R.D.O., departmental enquiry was initiated against the petitioner under Rule 3(b) of Tamil Nadu Police Subordinate Service (Discipline & Appeal) Rules. The petitioner denied the charges. The Assistant Commissioner of Police, Flower Bazaar, was appointed as the Enquiry Officer. The Enquiry Officer found the delinquency of the petitioner and submitted a report to the disciplinary authority. The disciplinary authority, namely, the Deputy Commissioner of Police, accepting the findings of the enquiry officer awarded the punishment of reduction in the time scale of pay by one stage for a period of one year without cumulative effect as per order dated 10.8.1999. The pe