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1 OA No.243/2014

CENTRAL ADMINISTRATIVE TRIBUNAL

MUMBAI BENCH, MUMBAI.

ORIGINAL APPLICATION No.243/2014

Date of Decision: 30^th January, 2026.

Coram: Hon’ble Shri Justice M.G. Sewlikar, Member (J)

Hon’ble Shri Sangam Narain Srivastava, Member (A)

Lalita Kothandaraman

Wd/o P.A. Kothandaraman, Aged 57 yrs.

Residing at E2/501, Highland Park,

Guru Govind Singh Road,

Near Shastri Nagar, Mulund (W),

Mumbai-400 082.

Worked in the office of IRMR Wagle

Industrial Estate, Thane (W) – 400 604.

… Applicant

(By Advocate Shri V.A. Nagrani )

Versus

1. Union of India, through

The Secretary, Department of Industrial Policy

& Promotion, Ministry of Commerce & Industries,

Government of India, Udyog Bhavan,

New Delhi 110 011.

2. Director,

Indian Rubber Manufacturers Research Association

(IRMRA), Affiliated to Ministry of Commerce &

Industry, Government of India,

Plot No. 254/1B, Road No. 16V,

Wagle Industrial Estate, Thane (W)-400 604.

… Respondents

(By Advocate Shri Satish Hegde & Shri P. Khosla)

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2 OA No.243/2014

ORDER (Oral)

Per : Justice M.G. Sewlikar, Member (J)

We have heard the learned counsel for the

applicant and learned counsel for the respondents.

2. The applicant was appointed on 28th

December, 2005 as Finance Officer. Because of his

misconduct, charge-sheet was served on the applicant

levelling 40 charges. Some of them were serious such as

unsatisfactory performance and Mismanagement of

Resources, Insubordination/ Disobedience,

Mismanagement of accounts and finance functions due to

lack of knowledge and capability to manage the resources,

non-cooperation and deliberate delaying of work,

adoption to go-slow or work-to-rule practices, Disputes

with subordinates and colleagues, Mismanagement of IT &

systems. All the charges except six charges were held to be

proved. According to the Inquiry Officer, the charges were

serious and proved. Accordingly, he submitted the

enquiry report. On the basis of the enquiry report, the

Deepti Ganesh Munarshi46GR00eaean5se8aos32nh,0: MS2Ifa=udmMn0a a trfhhs6eah9 rifa0us7th3ht1orabr ,4o S1f eE th2R iesI3A dbL odN cfuaU m1M8eB0nfE t4R71=e3c5c542947568c8f7d6a4f, CN=Depti

3 OA No.243/2014

Disciplinary Authority issued show-cause notice to the

applicant on 11th June, 2013 which is at page 161 (Annexure

A-30) mentioning therein that the Inquiry Officer had

found him guilty of the misconduct enumerated therein

and was called upon to give his say on the enquiry report

and to show-cause within 15days, as to why appropriate

action should not be taken against him for the proved

misconduct.

3. The applicant gave reply to the show-cause

notice which is at page 428 (Annexure A-15). This reply

runs into almost 16 pages. The Disciplinary Authority after

considering the reply, enquiry report and the oral evidence

recorded by the Inquiry Officer came to the conclusion that

the charges against the applicant were proved and the

punishment of dismissal from service came to be imposed.

4. Learned counsel for the applicant raised only

one point that the Disciplinary Authority has not applied

its mind while passing the final order. He submits that the

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4 OA No.243/2014

Disciplinary Authority has simply reproduced the charges

which the Inquiry Officer found the applicant to be guilty

and gave a one-line reasoning that the charges levelled

against the applicant are proved. Hence, he concurs with

the report and findings of the Inquiry Officer.

5. Learned counsel for the respondents submits

that the Inquiry Officer has given a detailed report dealing

with the deposition of each witness and giving reasons for

accepting the testimony of that witness. He submits that

the Inquiry Officer has given report giving c