JUDGMENT

Dipak Misra, J.

Ram Niwas Bansal, the predecessor-in-interest of the respondents 1 to 4, the legal heirs who have been brought on record after his death during the pendency of this appeal, while posted as Accountant at the Narnaul Branch of the appellant-Bank in the Officer Cadre, was served with a charge-sheet dated 20.10.1980 for certain financial irregularities. Two supplementary charge-sheets dated 15.1.1981 and 8.1.1982 were also issued to the said officer. After explanation was offered by late Ram Niwas Bansal, the disciplinary authority appointed an Enquiry Officer who, after conducting the enquiry, submitted his report to the General Manager (Operations) of the Bank holding that certain charges had been proved, some charges had been partly proved and some charges had not been proved. The disciplinary authority concurred with the findings recorded by the Enquiry Officer and recommended for removal of the delinquent officer from the Bank’s service to the appointing authority in accord with the terms of Regulation 68(1)(ii) of the State Bank of Patiala (Officers’) Service Regulations, 1979 (for short “the 1979 Regulations”) and the appointing authority, i.e., Managing D