JUDGMENT :

J.J. MUNIR, J.

1. This writ petition is directed against an order of the Chairman, Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited, Lucknow (for short, 'the Corporation') dated 23.07.2021, dismissing the petitioner from service, besides directing recovery, and the appellate order of the Corporation Board dated 18.02.2022, dismissing the petitioner's appeal arising out of the order passed by the Chairman aforesaid.

2. The petitioner was appointed a Peon with the erstwhile Uttar Pradesh State Electricity Board on 11.04.1997. Subsequently, upon establishment of the Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited and its subsidiary Distribution Companies, including the Purvanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited, the Uttar Pradesh State Electricity Board was dissolved. The petitioner and other employees of the Board were transferred to the Corporation. The petitioner was posted with Purvanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited, Varanasi (hereinafter, referred to as the Distribution Corporation). The Corporation, considering the petitioner’s unblemished service record, granted him promotion to the post of an Office Attendant. He was serving on the said post until the date of the impugned order.

3. In the y