JUDGMENT

Dr. S. Muralidhar, CJ. - The Petitioner, a former Branch Post Master at the Haladia Branch Office of the Department of Posts, has filed this petition challenging an order dated 16th July 2008 passed by the Central Administrative Tribunal, Cuttack Bench, Cuttack (CAT) in O.A. No.637 of 2004.

2. By the impugned order, the CATheld that the penalty imposed on the Petitioner forremoval from service by the Disciplinary Authority (DA) pursuant to a departmental proceeding was not tenable in law and was accordingly set aside. The Opposite Parties were directed to reinstate the Petitioner in service "with all service benefits, except the financial benefits since the Applicant had not worked after hisremoval from service in pursuance to Annexure-A/11 order."

3. Aggrieved by the impugned order to the extent of denial of financial benefits pertaining to the period of his removal, the Petitioner has preferred the present petition.

4. This Court has heard the submissions of Mr. Dillip Kumar Mohanty, learned counsel for the Petitioner and Mr. DebasisTripathy, learned Central Government Counsel (CGC) for the Opposite Parties.

5. The background facts are that the Petitioner joined as EDBPM/GD