R. Subramanian, J.

Challenge in this writ petition is to the order of punishment imposed in the disciplinary proceedings launched against the petitioner by the respondent bank.

2.(i) The petitioner joined the respondent bank as Scale I Agricultural Officer on 01.07.1978 and was promoted as a Scale II officer on 18.08.1990. He became a Scale III Officer/Senior Manager on 01.05.1995. On 14.08.2004, the petitioner was posted as a Senior Branch Manager at Tiruchirappalli Branch of the respondent bank. He worked in such capacity till he was transferred to Krishnagiri as Senior Branch Manager on 15.05.2007. On 12.11.2007, the petitioner was served with a show cause notice, calling for a written explanation making as many as eighteen charges against the petitioner.

(ii) The sum and substance of the charges is that the petitioner while granting housing loans to employees of Public Sector Undertakings, like Railways, Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited, Ordinance Factory and Government Teachers, has not devoted proper care and as a result of which, many of the housing loans had became non-performing assets. It was also found that the petitioner has not obtained proper salary slips from tho