CWP N021197 of2008 v. St at eofHaryanaand ot hers

First I nform at ion ReportNoA dat ed 0302007 under Sect ions 344 383 and 34 of t he I ndian Penal Code was at Police St at ionGRPHisar One I nspect orCI A Om Parkash was ent rust edit s Pet it ioner sought bail which 1 t 0 I D I Z t I 021 grant edby t he leam ed Sessions JudgeBhiwani A pet it ionunder Z r Sect ion 439 629Cr2 for cancellat ion of t he dism issed by t he HighCourt as wit hdrawn Aft er t he bail was t he pet it ionerwas not nam ed as an accusedin t he flnal report subm it t edt o t he Court under Sect ion 173 CrC nor he was sum m onedbyt he Court I t 1S also st at edt hat a enquirywas orderedagainst 960 t he pet it ionerOne Ranvir SinghDSP who conduct ed t he enquiryfound t he pet it ionerinnocent The pet it ionerst at edt hat t he adverserem arksin his ACR are incorrect and not based on anym at erial From t he perusalof t he m em o dat ed 23052007 indicat ingadverserem arks againstt he pet it ioner Sahil Soni 2016.03.21 12:29 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document it appearst hat a referenceis m adet o FI R No dat ed03012007 which was Suresh Kum ar 2014.04.09 12: 37 Scanned True Copy of Original PHHC,Chandigarh 85 17 1 C CWP No21197 of2008 4 againstt he pet it ioner Furt her reference is m ade t o t wo enquiriesinit iat ed againstt he pet it ionerand t he pet it ionerhas beenadvised t o rem ove t hese defect s Pet it ioner subm it t ed a det ailed againsthis adverserem arkswhich st and vide m em o dat ed29052008 The order of rej ect ionof is t ot allynone speaking No reason exceptdevoid of any m erit have been com m unicat ed The pet it ionerwas never m ade an accused in t he FI R againsthim I n t he chargesheet in t he Court even t he ot her accused againstwhom t he chargesheet was filed in t he Court of Chief Judicial Magist rat eBhiwani vide j udgm entdat ed 06122008 Even in t he also t he pet it ionerwas exonerat edby t he EnquiryOfficer The PunishingAut horit y wit h t he reportof t he EnquiryOfficer issued a Show Cause Not ice t o t he pet it ionerproposingt o of st oppageof five fut ure increm ent s wit h perm anenteffect Pet it ioner subm it t ed his replyt o t he Show Cause Not ice The PunishingAut horit yhowever awarded t he of st oppageof one t ure increm entwit h pennanenteffect vide his order dat ed 17102008 Aggrievedof t he award of t he pet it ionerpreferredan appealbefore No2 and on hearingt he pet it ionerin person and considerat ionof t he record appealof t he pet it ioner was accept edand t he of st oppageof one annual grade increm enthas been reducedt o t he of Censure vide order dat ed 1672008 P5 wit h CWP No21197 of20089 One of t he t he pet it ioneragainsthis adverse 1 0 0 I C I Z 01 Z c8 2 Z Ll ACR is t hat Govem m ent Suresh Kum ar 2014.04.09 12: 37 Scanned True Copy of Original PHHC,Chandigarh t he adverse report has been recorded in violat ion of inst ruct ions dat ed 12121985 The com pulsoryret irem ent t he Sahil Soni 2016.03.21 12:29 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document 86 CWPNo 21197 of2008 5w 1 by t he is also solelybased upon t he FI R againsthim t he adverseACR andt he I n replyt o bot h t he writ pet it ionst he pleais alm ost com m on Whileadm it t ingt he fact t hat t he pet it ionerwas not sent t o t rial in FI R NoA dat ed03012007it was concededt hat t he pet it ionerwas exonerat edbyt he Offlcer in t he Enquiryinit iat ed againsthim Howeverwit h a view t o j ust ifyt he act ion againstt he pet it ionerit 1S t hat t he pet it ionerwas chargesheet edin anot her I n one case his annualincrem ent was st oppedwit h perm anenteffect vide t he m em orandum dat ed09012008 Reference is also m adet o anot her Sled by one Narain Dut t son of GanpatRam againstt he pet it ionerallegingt hat t he did not t ake any act ion on his com plaintof t heft ofornam ent sand t he accused t o escapeand t hus he has t arnished t he im ageof t he Police Haryana Adverserem arksm adeagainstt he pet it ionervide Annexure P 1 for t he periodfrom 2642006 t o 31032006 are as under l9 39 Moral courageand readinesst o exposet he of subordinat es Lacking 649 Reput at iionfor fair dealingwit h t he public and accessibilit yt o t he publicNot proper P 0 I D I Z 7 CE c8 S7 Z O 9 Personalit y8 init iat ive Not proper 6109Powerofcom m ai Loose 6111I nt erestin m odernm et hods Suresh Kum ar 2014.04.09 12: 37 Scanned True Copy of Original PHHC,Chandigarh not possess and m odernpolice m et hodsl Does Sahil Soni 2016.03.21 12:29 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document 87 CWP No21197 of2008 17 6 121 Prevent ivec det ect iveabiI it ylNo proper 131 Working ofCrim inal Law and ProcedureLacks 6141Reliabilit yNot reliable 169 Does officiallofficer rem ain at HQrs or not aft erofflce hoursl Does not 199 Defect s ifany and whet hert hosewere broughtt o his not icet hroughanylet t er placedundersuspensiondue t o involvem entin FI R NoA dat ed 3107 Uls 3841342134I PC GRPS Hisar along wit h ot hersand inquirywas init iat ed vide m eo Nol567 781A dat ed 912007 inquirywas init iat edvide m em o No599060511 dat ed 92007 due t o oft he com plaintin t im e General Rem arksl Unable em ployee111 police ASI Devinder SinghNo60711GRPbe apprisedoft he above said adverse rem arksand be inst ruct edt o rem ove t hese defect s Signat ure wit h dat eoft he em ployeebe obt ainedon t he second copy at t ached herewit hand t he sam e m ay be sent t o t his office as an t C 0 I 0 I 4 Z 2 Ce c8 0 V Z a Suresh Kum ar 2014.04.09 12: 37 Scanned True Copy of Original PHHC,Chandigarh Sdl Sahil Soni 2016.03.21 12:29 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document 88 CWP N021197 of2008 1 1 Direct orGeneral ofPolice Railways8Technical Services HaryanaMogiNand Panchkula37 While t he above adverse ent ries it was also m ent ionedin t he last of t he com m unicat ion t hat t he officer be inst ruct edt o rem ove t hese defect sI t also appearst hat t he adverserem arks vanous colum ns are prim arilybased upon FI R NoA dat ed 03O2007andt he Enquiryinit iat ed againstt he pet it ioner Ot herwiseno ot her m at erialhas been referredfor recordingadverseent ries againstt he pet it ionerThe oft he pet it ionerhas been rej ect ed byt he I nspect orGeneral of Police Railways Technical Services Haryana bya cript icand nonspeakingorder The rej ect ionorder dat ed 29052008 P9 reads as under I gone t hrough t he com m ent ssubm it t edbyt he Report ingOfflcer and ot herrelevant records subm it t edbyASI Davinder SinghNof0071GRP againstt he adverse rem arks recorded in his ACR for t he durat ion from 2642006 t o 313007 His been considered and rej ect edbeingdevoid of any m erit The inform ed accordingly Sdl I CKMishra9 I nspect orGeneral of Police Railwaysc Technical Services HayanaMogi Nand Panchkula 52 1 00 4 I Z 2 C11 I c8 m 7 Z t le Suresh Kum ar 2014.04.09 12: 37 Scanned True Copy of Original PHHC,Chandigarh The pet it ionerhas placedon record order dat ed 06122008 Sahil Soni 2016.03.21 12:29 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document 89 1 8 byt he learnedChiefJudicial Magist rat eBhiwani in Crim inal Case No1431108 flled pursuantt o FI R NoA dat ed 0301 2007 in which t he init iallyinvolved The pet it ionerhas not been arrayedas an accused Even t he t wo personswho are arrayedas an accused have been I t is also adm it t edfact t hat in t he Enquiryas well t he pet it ionerhas been exonerat ed Thus t he very basis for adverserem arks againstt he pet it ioner Apartfrom t he above t he pet it ionerhas also relied upon inst ruct ions dat ed 12121985 The relevant inst ruct ions relat ingt o report ing111 respectof doubt ful int egrit yrequirest hat t he Officer m ust clearlyst at e if t he ofcer of corrupt ion 1S believed t o be corruptand t his opiniongenerallyshould be form ulat ed by reasons which m ay be in possession of t he Report ing Officer From t he adverse report snot iced herein above it can be inferred t hat FI R NoA dat ed 0301 2007 and t he Proceedingare t he reasons for doubt ingt he int egrit yof t he pet it ioner I n so ot her aspect srelat ingt o his efficiencyet c concernedperhapsno int erferencem ay be warrant ed No m at erialhas been referred t o except t he FI R and t he Even t he reasons for such an opinionare not recordedor disclosed in t he reply I n 1 0 I D I Z Cr I c8 S7 Z 444 Vlew t he out com e of t he crim inal and t he Enquirynot iced above t he adverse rem arks regardingint egrit yof t he pet it ionerare not subst ant iat edbyany m at erialand t hus not j ust ied The Appellat eAut horit yalso did not bot her t o record any which has been dealt wit h in a m ost Sahil Soni 2016.03.21 12:29 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document reasons Suresh Kum ar 2014.04.09 12: 37 Scanned True Copy of Original PHHC,Chandigarh for rej ect ingt he 90 CWPN021197 of2008 e9 casualm anner Even in t he reply no have been disclosed for t he of t he pet it ionerI t is also not icedt hat while t he adverseent ries counselingt o t he rem ove his defect swas This clearlyest ablishest hat at no st aget he was givencounselingor of his defect s Thus t he advise aft er awarding am ount s t o put t ingt he cart before t he horse Thus t he order dat ed2305007 Annexure Pel9 adverse rem arksis liable t o be quashedlI l respectt o ent ry 111 Colum n No Doubt ful I t is not t his Court t o int erfere in t he ot her colum nswherein efOciencyet c of t he pet it ionerhas been com m ent ed t he t he order dat ed 29052008 P39passedby General of Police Railways8 Technical Services Haryana t he oft he pet it ioneris also set asidee Now com ingt o t he Civil Writ Pet it ion NoA76 of 2009 The has been ret iredvide t he order dat ed 2412008 64nnexureP49byt akingint o considerat ion t he adverserem rks referredt o above FI R NoA dat ed 0301 2007 and t he t wo I n one Enquiryt he pet it ionerhas been awarded of st oppageof one increm entwit h t em poraryeffect whereasin anot her Enquiryhe has been awarded of st oppage m C2 0 0 I D I Z 2 r I c8 3 Z t l 4e ofone increm entwit h perm anenteffect The secondenquirywas conduct ed on t hecom plaintof one Narain Dut t son of GanpatRam As regardst he secondenquiryis concem ed t he pet it ionerhas placedon record an order passedbyt he Appellat eAut horit yie I nspect orGeneral ofPolice Railways Sahil Soni 2016.03.21 12:29 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document c Technical Services Haryanadat ed 16072008 wherebyt he penalt yof Suresh Kum ar 2014.04.09 12: 37 Scanned True Copy of Original PHHC,Chandigarh 91 4 CWP No 21197 of2008 10 of one annual gradeincrem ent wit h perm anenteffect has been reducedt o t hat ofCensure only Regardingt he FI R NoA dat ed 03012007 it has been not iced t hat t he pet it ionerhas not been challanedin crim inalcase and exonerat edin t he EnquiriesI t is a m at t er of concern t hat t he Direct or General of Police Railwaysand Technical ServicesHaryanarelied upon a which does not exist t he Aut horit yhavingconvert ed t he penalt yof st oppageof increm entwit h perm anenteffect t o t hat of Censure Eit her t he order of t he Aut horit ywas not broughtt o his not ice or he hasoverlookedt he sam e while passingt he order of order of com pulsoryret irem ent m erelyon t he basis of ret irem ent I n any caset he one annual gradeincrem ent wit h t em poraryeffect awardedin Enquiryby no yardst ickis j ust ifiable I n t he case of Naikunt ha Nat h Das Vs Chief Dist t Medical Officer 199292 SCC 299 Honble t he Suprem eCourt has laid down Ove for exam iningt he validit yof t he order of com pulsoryret irem ent The relevantobservat ionsare as underl 16 A Bench of t his Court 111 Baikunt ha Nat h Das v Chief Dist t Medical Officer laid down t he following6ve principles SCC pp31516para 3411 iI An order of com pulsoryret irem entis not a I t im pliesno st igm a nor 1 0 I D I Z 2 I 08 am w Z Ll ofm isbehaviour 6ii9 The order has t o be passedby t he form ingt he opiniont hat it is in Sahil Soni 2016.03.21 12:29 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document Suresh Kum ar 2014.04.09 12: 37 Scanned True Copy of Original PHHC,Chandigarh Govem m enton 92 44 CWP No 21197 of2008 11 t he publicint erest t o ret ire a governm entservant The order is passedon t he sat isfact ionoft he Governm ent 6iii9 Principlesof nat uralj ust icehave no place111 t he cont ext of an order of com pulsoryret irem ent This does not m ean t hat j udicial scrut iny1S excluded While t he High Court or t his Court would not exam ine t he m at t er as t heym ay int erfere if t heyare sat isfied t hat t he order is passedal m ala fide or b9 t hat it is based on no evidence c 9 t hat it is arbit raryin t he sense t hat no reasonable person would form t he requisit eopinionon t he given m at erial in short it is found t o be a perverse 6iv The Governm ent t he Review Com m it t ee as t he case m ay be9shall have t o consider record of service before t akinga t he ent ire decision in t he t 0 C I I Z 2 I c8 t m m Z m at t erofcourse at t achingm ore t o record duringt he lat er years The record t o be so considered would nat urallyinclude t he ent nes 111 t he confident ial recordslcharact er rolls bot h favourableand adverse I f a governm entservant 1S prom ot edt o a higherpost t he adverserem arks such rem arkslose t heir st ing m ore Suresh Kum ar 2014.04.09 12: 37 Scanned True Copy of Original PHHC,Chandigarh So if t he prom ot ionis based upon m erit Sahil Soni 2016.03.21 12:29 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document 93 C and not upon seniorit y 12e v0 v An order of com pulsoryret irem ent is not liable t o be by a court m erelyon t he showingt hat while passingit uncom m unicat ed adverse rem arks t aken int o considerat ion That circum st anceby it self cannot be a basisfor int erference05 1C2 0 D I Z 2 C2 I C8 I m n Z 414 This decision has been reit erat edin a num ber of lat er decisions includingin t he case of St at eof Guiaratand anot herVs SurvakantChunilal S 199911 Suprem eCourt Cases 529 I n t he presentcase t he opinionhas been form ulat edon non exist entm at erial ie wit hout evidence as lS from t he im pugned order of com pulsoryret irem entwherein reference is m ade t o FI R NoA dat ed03012007 and t wo EnquiriesThe out com e of t hese t wo cases has alreadybeen not iced above Thus t he very basis for ret irem entdoes not exist and it is a case of no m at erial on record I n as under Chunilals case Honble t he Suprem eCourt 9 This decision was t akenunder Rule 161 oft he Bom bayCivil Services Rules 1959 which providesas underl 16111 a9Exceptas ot herwise providedin t he ot herclauses of t his Rule t he dat e of ret irem ent of a governm entservant ot her t han a Suresh Kum ar 2014.04.09 12: 37 Scanned True Copy of Original PHHC,Chandigarh t he age of 58 years Class I V servant is t he dat e on which he at t ains Sahil Soni 2016.03.21 12:29 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document 94 CWP No1197 of2008 13e Providede ii9 4 8 8 S iiil He m ay be ret ainedin service aft er t he dat eof ret irem ent only wit h t he previous sanct ion of t he Governm ent on publicgrounds which m ust be recordedin writ ing clause oall anyt hingcont ained lll 6i1An appoint ingaut horit yshall if he is of t he opiniont hat it is in t he publicint erest so t o do have t he absolut e rightt o ret ire any governm ent servant t o whom clause 6a appliesbygivinghim not ice of not less t hant hree m ont hsin writ ingor t hreem ont hsspay and allowances in lieu of such not icel lI I fhe 1S 111Class I or Class I I service or post or in any unclassified gazet t edpost t he agenit for t he purpose of direct recruit m ent t o which is below 35 years on or aft er t he dat eon which he at t ainst heage of 50 yearsand 629 if he is in any ot her service or post t he age lim it for t he purposeofdirect recruit m entt o which 1S below 40 years on or aft er t he dat eon which he at t ainst he age of55 years 6iil any governm entservant appliesm ay by givingnot ice of not less t han Sahil Soni t o whom clause 6a9 2016.03.21 12:29 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document 1 Lr 0 I Z L I a5 e 3 Z e Suresh Kum ar 2014.04.09 12: 37 Scanned True Copy of Original PHHC,Chandigarh 95 CWP N021197 of2008 4 t hree m ont hs in writ ing t o t he appoint ing aut horit yret ire from service aft er he has at t ained t he age of 50 years if he is in Class I or Class I I service or postorln anyunclassified gazet t edpost t he ageim it for t he purpose of recruit m ent t o which is below 35 years and in anot her case aft er he has at t ainedt heage of55 yearsl Provided t hat it shall be open t o t he appoint ing aut horit yt o wit hhold perm issiont o ret ire t o a servant who is under and who seeks t o ret ire againstwhom pendingor under t his subeclause bl A Governm entservan 95 I am of t he considered view t hat t he order of ret irem ent is a colourableexercise of j urisdict ionand is liable t o be quashed I n view of t he above t hese t wo wrlt pet it ionsare accordingly allowed wit h t he followingdirect ionsl 1 Ent ryof a doubil int egrit ycom m unicat ed vide let t er dat ed 23052007 Pel in CWP No1197 of 20089alongwit h order 0 I Z l I 025 Z Qm eG dat ed 29052008 64nnexureP89rej ect ingt he t o t he ext ent it relat et o t he ent ryofdoubt flil int egrit yare herebyquashed 2 The order ret irem entdat ed 02012009 64nnexureI 6in CWP NoA76 of2009 is also quashed 3 Suresh Kum ar 2014.04.09 12: 37 Scanned True Copy of Original PHHC,Chandigarh The pet it ioneris ordered t o be reinst at edint o service fort hwit h The Sahil Soni 2016.03.21 12:29 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document 96 11 CWP N021197 of2008 5 91 shall not be ent it led t o any wages duringt he period 1 from t he dat e of ret irem ent t ill he is reinst at ed t houghhe will be allowed t he not ional benet s of increm ent s any ot herbenefitwhich m ighthave been available t o him had he been in service revlSlOrl ofpay if any for t he purposeof fixat ion of his salaryon reinst at em ent A copyoft his order be placedon t he record ofconnect edOle 272010 BLS e 1 6PERMODKOHLI 9 JUDGE Whet hert o be referred t o t heReport er9YESI 1 L 0C 0 I Z 2 rI I 08 rI 1 01 2 Z CL Suresh Kum ar 2014.04.09 12: 37 Scanned True Copy of Original PHHC,Chandigarh Sahil Soni 2016.03.21 12:29 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document