IN THE HIGH COURT OF ALLAHABAD
ASHWANI KUMAR MISHRA, J.
Lallan Mishra - Petitioner
Versus
State of U.P. and Ors. - Respondents
Writ - A No. 62994 of 2014
Decided On : 29-09-2021
Service matter - Appointed as Collection Amin - Disciplinary proceedings - Dismissed from service - Based upon report of inquiry officer, a show cause notice was issued to petitioner calling upon him to submit reply as to why he be not dismissed from service. A reply was submitted raising various legal and factual objections to enquiry report. Disciplinary authority however has reverted petitioner to initial scale of pay admissible to him vide order against which an appeal and revision have also been rejected – Challenged - Held, It is also apparent that neither any date was fixed for recording oral evidence of witnesses nor any oral statement appears to have actually been recorded. There is also nothing on record to show that any date was fixed for cross-examining the witnesses - Law is settled that status of an inquiry officer is that of a quasi judicial authority and that he is supposed to be an independent adjudicator. The inquiry officer cannot act is a prosecutor while being a judge himself - Court finds that disciplinary inquiry conducted against petitioner lacks fairness and objectivity and bias of inquiry officer was apparent on record - Writ petition allowed.
JUDGMENT :
1. Petitioner was substantively appointed as Collection Amin on 4.3.1977 and his services were confirmed w.e.f. 4.3.1979 vide order dated 4.6.1990. While in service, a report was submitted by the Naib Tehsildar against the petitioner that his recovery during the relevant period was deficient and was much below the target allotted to him and that he had used indecent language in a review meeting held by the Sub Divisional Magistrate, Ballia. The report also indicated that the petitioner was not touring in his area of recovery nor he furnished tour program, which amounted to an act of misconduct on part of the petitioner. The Naib Tehsildar accordingly submitted this report to the Tehsildar who recommended for his suspension on 14.6.2010. On the basis of such recommendation, an order of suspension was passed against the petitioner by the Sub Divisional Magistrate, Ballia on 17.6.2010. Ultimately a charge-sheet came to be served upon the petitioner on 30.7.2010 by Sub Divisional Magistrate, Ballia containing 8 charges. A Perusal of the charge-sheet would go to show that basis of the charge and proposed disciplinary action is the report of the Naib Tehsildar dated 12.6.2010 and the endorsement of Tehsildar dated 14.6.2010. The first charge against petitioner was that his recovery between 23.11.2009 to 31.5.2010 was below the target allotted to him. The second charge was regarding non availability of petitioner in his area over which the concerned revenue authorities expressed their displeasure. The third charge was that the petitioner did not vacate the house and was using it for commercial purposes. The fourth charge related to non submission of explanation despite a direction issued in that regard. The fifth charge is with regard to use of indecent language by the petitioner in a review meeting. The seventh charge is similar as per which petitioner refused to put a note and thereby committed misconduct. The last charge was regarding petitioner's misbehaviour with defaulters and exercise of influence for not being compelled to furnish his tour program. Charge Nos. 8,7,2 and 1 are based entirely upon the report of the Naib Tehsildar dated 12.6.2010 as also the recommendation of Tehsildar, Ballia dated 14.6.2010.
2. A reply to the charge-sheet was submitted by the petitioner stating that the disciplinary proceedings are a counter blast only because he had filed Writ Petition No. 51459 of 2010, before this Court. Many other grounds were taken in defence by the petitioner. All the charges were nevertheless emphatically denied.
3. It appears that initially one Sri Munauver Ali, Tehsildar acted as the inquiry officer. During the pendency of the proceedings, however, the official who made the endorsement against the petitioner on 14.6.2010 and had also recommended petitioner's suspension became Tehsildar and proceeded to act as the inquiry officer in the disciplinary proceedings. Petitioner claims to have submitted an objection against it and requested for change of inquiry officer on the ground that being the complainant himself Ashutosh Dubey could not act as the inquiry officer also. However, no orders appear to have been passed in the matter and the inquiry officer proceeded to submit his report on 28.3.2011. It is urged that neither any opportunity of cross-examining the witnesses was given nor the petitioner's reply was considered in its correct perspective.
4. Based upon the report of the inquiry officer, a show cause notice was issued to the petitioner calling upon him to submit reply as to why he be not dismissed from service. A reply was submitted raising various legal and factual objections to the enquiry report. The disciplinary authority however has reverted the petitioner to initial scale of pay admissible to him vide order dated 5.5.2011, against which an appeal and revision have also been rejected. These orders are challenged in the instant writ petition.
5. Learned counsel for the petitioner contends that the inqu
Disciplinary inquiry vitiated if Disciplinary Authority acts as Enquiry Officer and prosecutor, records adverse witness statements without cross-examination, relies on unfurnished reports, creating r....
The enquiry officer's dual role as prosecutor violated principles of natural justice, rendering the disciplinary proceedings invalid.
The failure to furnish an enquiry report to an employee before the imposition of a penalty and the enquiry officer assuming the dual role of judge and prosecutor are violations of natural justice tha....
Unexplained delay in disciplinary proceedings may indicate bias and prejudice, and procedural irregularities can render the entire proceeding non est in the eye of law.
It is a duty of Inquiry Officer to scan entire evidence in order to arrive at a finding after judging case of all the parties, adhering to the principles of natural justice, otherwise, inquiry is vit....
Inquiry Officer cannot issue charge-sheet before plea or recommend punishment; must remain independent, report only findings per rules; violation vitiates proceedings leading to quashing and reinstat....
The main legal point established in the judgment is the requirement for specific, clear, and detailed charges in disciplinary proceedings, the prohibition of bias in inquiry proceedings, and the impo....
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