Central Administrative Tribunal Mumbai Bench: Mumbai Order reserved on: 16.12.2025 Order pronounced on: 17.04.2026 Hon’ble Mr. Justice M.G. Sewlikar, Member (J)

Hon’ble Mr. Sangam Narain Srivastava, Member (A)

Shri Vasant Kothari, Son of Ramesh Chandra Kothari, Age 38 years, Ex-Assistant Professor, N.I.F.T., Mumbai Campus, Residing at B-302, Kasturi CHS, Sector-10, Khargar, Navi Mumbai 410 210.

-Applicant (By Advocate: Senior counsel, Mr. R.R. Shetty a/w Mr.

Vishal Shirke)

Versus

1. The National Institute of Fashion Technology, through the Board of Governors, near Gulmohar Park, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110 016.

2. The Director- General, National Institute of Fashion Technology, Establishment Section, Near Gulmohar Park, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110 016.

- Respondents (By Advocate: Mr. V.B. Joshi)

ORDER

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

The applicant has filed this OA seeking following reliefs:-

“8.a. This Hon'ble Tribunal may graciously be pleased to call for the records of the case from the Respondents and after examining the same quash and set aside the impugned order 26.02.2015 with all consequential benefits.

b. This Hon'ble Tribunal may further be pleased to direct the Respondents to reinstate the Applicant in service with effect from 26.02.2015 along with full back wages.

c. Costs of the application be provided for.

d. Any other and further order as this Hon'ble Tribunal deems fit in the nature and circumstances of the case be passed.”

2. Facts in brief are that the applicant was appointed as Assistant Professor of National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) (an autonomous body of the Government of India under the Ministry of Textiles) on 26^th March, 2008. Pursuant to the advertisement issued by NIFT for filling up the post of Joint Director on contract basis, the applicant made application as a departmental candidate Bhopal on contract basis for a period of three years.

2.1 A fresher’s party was arranged on 08^th September, 2013 between 5 pm and 8:30 pm. This party was arranged with the permission of the Director, SDAC, NIFT Bhopal. At around 5 pm, applicant visited the campus along with his two daughters to make sure that things were in order. During the party, few students approached him and requested to extend the party time to 10:30 pm which he denied.

2.2 One Kshitij Pandey, student of TD-VII made a complaint to the Director about the arrogant behaviour of the applicant during the fresher’s party. Pursuant to that, a local committee was constituted by NIFT, Bhopal. The purpose of the committee was to discipline one of the students who had made a phone call to the Director General in inebriated state. These students made some statements against the applicant about his harassment to a girl student in the said fresher’s party. The applicant who was a member of the local committee immediately withdrew members, Ms. Supriya Yadav also complained against the applicant. A signature campaign was conducted against the applicant in the campus and many fake signatures were made so as to pressurize the NIFT to take action against the applicant.

2.3 Ms. Supriya Yadav despite having made allegations against the applicant, continued to be a member of the said committee. The first official communication that the applicant received was from the Director General on 15th October, 2013 by which an e-mail and complaint received against him was forwarded to him. The applicant was called upon to submit his response. A copy of the e-mail is at Annexure-A-2. The said e-mail contained three attachments viz., Minutes of Meeting, Copy of the letter dated 15^th October, 2013 of Ms. Supriya Yadav and few complaints by the students, collectively marked as Annexure-A-3.

2.4 From the Minutes of the Meetings, it appears that on 09^th September, 2013, Kshitiz Pandey had submitted a written complaint (Annexure A) to Director fresher’s party evening on 08th September, 2013. He had also complained about the alleged behavior of the applicant with one female student. The a