1. The brief facts of the case are as follows:

The writ petitioner/Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation stated that the second respondent herein/employee was working as a conductor in the bus route from Vanniambadi to Alangayam in bus bearing registration No. TN-23-0565 and at the time of checking it was found that he did not collect fare and issue tickets for five passengers for a sum of Rs. 3/- for each, even after they having traveled for two stages from their boarding point and not issued luggage tickets for 10 jaggery bags for a sum of Rs. 6/- for each bag, after collecting the fares and failed to collect the fare and issue ticket of Rs. 2.75/- to one passenger traveling from Alangayam to Arinayakanoor, even though the passenger travelled for two stages from his boarding point and also found that there was a shortage of Rs. 148.80 in the cash bag. So, a charge memo dated 08.05.2000 was issued to him. The second respondent in his explanation dated 20.05.2000 had admitted his irregularities. Subsequently, a domestic enquiry was conducted in accordance with the principles of natural justice. The Enquiry Officer had submitted his report finding him guilty of all the charge