Petitioner has challenged the order of the District Revenue Officer, Periyar District, first respondent herein, dated 23. 1996, confirming the order of the Assistant Collector, Dharapuram, dated 25. 1993, dismissing the petitioner from service and sought for a direction to the respondents to reinstate him in service and grant all monetary benefits.

2. Facts of this case are as follows:

When the petitioner was working as an Office Assistant in 1984, a charge memo was issued to him under Rule 17(b) of the Tamil Nadu Civil Service (Discipline and Appeal) Rules. Though the same was refuted, following an enquiry, the District Collector, Dharapuram, second respondent, by his order dated 25. 1993, dismissed the petitioner from service. Appeals filed before the first respondent, dated 16. 1993 and 26. 1993, were dismissed and the punishment was confirmed. Aggrieved by the orders of the disciplinary and appellate authorities, the petitioner has preferred Original Application before the Tamil Nadu Administrative Tribunal,-which has been subsequently transferred to this Court and renumbered as writ petition.

3. Assailing the impugned orders, Mr. L. Chandra Kumar, learned counsel fo