Observing that the nature of punishment to be imposed in disciplinary proceedings has to be examined based on the satisfaction of authorities who have a responsibility to uphold dignity, discipline and sanctity, the Madras High Court has upheld the punishment of removal from service imposed on a nationalised bank manager for producing fake boarding and lodging bills.
Justice C.V. Karthikeyan wrote: “The court cannot substitute itself for the appointing authority and re-examine whether the punishment imposed was proportionate or should be reduced. Views might differ. But, it is the view of the appointing authority which has to be examined and while examining so, the only aspect to be considered is whether principles of natural justice had been violated or not.”
In the present case, the petitioner, appointed as a Probationary Officer in State Bank of India (SBI) in 2009 and posted as Athavanur branch manaager at Yelagiri in Vellore district in 2011, had indeed been given an opportunity of personal hearing before being imposed with the punishment of removal from service in 2015, the judge said.
