Arvind Kumar @ Constable / 514 ... vs The State Of Bihar
2023 Latest Caselaw 2132 Patna

          IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA
                    Civil Writ Jurisdiction Case No.13239 of 2019
     ======================================================

Arvind Kumar @ Constable / 514 Arvind Kumar Son of Krishna Prasad then posted at Rail District Jamalpur at Kiul GRP under control of Superintendent of Rail Police Jamalpur, Parmanent Resident of Village- Amartha Gachhai @ Amartha Gachchhai, P.O.- Gachhai, P.S.- Karakat, Block- Karakat, Sub- Division- Bikramganj, District- Rohtas. ... ... Petitioner Versus

1. The State of Bihar through the Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Home, Government of Bihar, Old Secretariat, Patna, Bihar.

2. The Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Home, Government of Bihar, Old Secretariat, Patna, Bihar.

3. The Principal Secretary, Department of Home, Government of Bihar, Old Secretariat, Patna, Bihar.

4. The Director General of Police, Old Secretariat, Patna, Bihar.

5. The Inspector General of Police (Administration) Police Head Quarters, Old Secretariat, Patna, Bihar.

6. The Additional Director General of Police, (Railways), Police Head Quarters, Old Secretariat, Patna, Bihar.

7. The Inspector General of Police (Railways), Police Head Quarters, Old Secretary Patna, Bihar.

8. The Deputy Inspector General of Police (Railways), Police Head Quarters, Old Secretariat, Patna, Bihar.

9. The Superintendent of Rail Police Jamalpur, Rail District Jamalpur, Bihar.

10. The Deputy Superintendent of Rail Police, Jamalpur, Rail District Jamalpur, Bihar.

11. The Deputy Superintendent of Rail Police, Kiul, Rail District, Jamalpur, Bihar.

12. The Inspector Police cum Station House Officer Rail Police Station Kiul, Rail District Jamalpur, Bihar.

13. Mr. Kameshwar Singh, Inspector of Police cum In-Charge Sergeant Manor cum Conducting Officer of Rail District Departmental Proceeding No. 05 of 2017.

... ... Respondents ====================================================== Appearance :

For the Petitioner/s : Mr. Y.V. Giri, Sr. Advocate Mr. Rohit Kumar, Advocate Mr. Manish Kumar No.-13, Advocate Mrs. Priti Kumari, Advocate For the Respondent/s : Mr. Ajay Kumar, AC to GP-4 ====================================================== CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE RAJEEV RANJAN PRASAD ORAL JUDGMENT Date : 05-05-2023 Patna High Court CWJC No.13239 of 2019 dt.05-05-2023

Heard Mr. Y.V. Giri, learned Senior Counsel assisted by

Mr. Rohit Kumar, learned counsel for the petitioner and Mr. Ajay

Kumar, learned AC to GP-4 for the State.

2. On the request of the parties, this writ application has

been taken up for consideration.

3. In the present case, the petitioner is seeking quashing

of the order as contained in Memo No. 583 dated 31.12.2018

issued under signature of Deputy Inspector General of Police

(Railways) contained in Annexure '10' by which the departmental

appeal preferred by the petitioner against the final order of

dismissal from Bihar Police as contained in Memo No. 744 dated

12.07.2018 (Annexure '8') issued under signature of

Superintendent of Rail Police, Jamalpur has been rejected. The

petitioner further prays for setting aside of the inquiry report

contained in Memo No. 48 dated 17.01.2017 (Annexure '3'). He is

also seeking quashing of the Charge Memo No. 104 dated

21.01.2017 (Annexure '4') as well as the Final Order of dismissal

contained in Memo No. 744 dated 12.07.2018 (Annexure '8').

Brief Facts of the Case

4. It appears that vide a charge memo contained in

Memo No. 104 dated 21.01.2017, the petitioner was proceeded

against in a disciplinary proceeding. The charge memo reads as

under:-

Patna High Court CWJC No.13239 of 2019 dt.05-05-2023

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5. In the disciplinary proceeding, ultimately vide Memo

No. 744 dated 12.07.2018 (Annexure '8' to the writ application), the

petitioner was dismissed from service.

6. The petitioner preferred an appeal but the same has also

been dismissed vide order contained in Memo No. 583 dated

31.12.2018 (Annexure '10') whereafter the petitioner filed a

memorial before the Director General of Police which has been

dismissed vide Memo No. 1194/451265 dated 24.12.2019 (Annexure

'12' to the interlocutory application).

Submission of the Petitioner

7. While assailing the impugned orders, learned Senior

Counsel for the petitioner submits that for identical charges

Constable Rajpati Shekhar was also dismissed from service. He

challenged his order of dismissal in this Court in CWJC No. 9512 of

2019. This Court having perused the entire records and taking note of

the submissions of the parties held that not a single competent

witness deposed in the inquiry and the facts forming part of the

allegation against the petitioner in the Charge Memo could not be

proved.

Patna High Court CWJC No.13239 of 2019 dt.05-05-2023

8. Learned Senior Counsel, therefore, submits that instead

of taking this Court through the facts of the case, he would request

that the identical case having been allowed by the learned Co-

ordinate Bench of this Court, similar view be taken.

Submission of the State

9. Mr. Ajay Kumar, learned AC to GP-4 for the State has

not disputed, rather he admits that in identical case, the learned Co-

ordinate Bench has allowed the writ application and the orders

passed in the disciplinary proceeding have been quashed.

Consideration

10. Having heard learned Senior Counsel for the petitioner

and learned AC to GP-4 for the State as also on perusal of the

records, this Court finds that the Constable Rajpati Shekhar was also

served with a Memo of Charge dated 21.01.2017, he was dismissed

from service and then his appeal was rejected by the competent

authority.

11. The learned Co-ordinate Bench of this Court has

recorded in paragraphs '11' to '13'of the judgment as under:-

"11. Shambhu Thathera and Yatish Kumar, however, have also not been examined in the proceedings. They were only two persons competent of deposing in respect of the occurrence alleged at the barrack. It is only these two persons who were competent to state about the petitioner's presence, participation in demand and acceptance of illegal gratification, and subsequent release of the accused persons with the illicit consignment of liquor.

Patna High Court CWJC No.13239 of 2019 dt.05-05-2023

12. Reliance on the confessional statement of accused Shambhu Thathera, the allegations stated in the FIR, seizure of the alleged illegal gratification from Havildar Lalan Ram and statement of police officials/personnel in support of the factum of lodging of the FIR, recording of confessional statement of accused Shambhu Thathera, at best, are proof of the facts leading to lodging of the criminal case and not by any stretch of imagination sufficient to prove the occurrence as stated in the F.I.R. and bring home the charges against the petitioner even on preponderance of probability. The documents forming part of the criminal investigation relied upon by the Enquiry Officer cannot be considered to be material to sustain charges in the departmental proceedings. Law to this effect by now settled as per decision in case of Roop Singh Negi (supra) relied upon by the learned senior counsel for the petitioner.

13. The submission of the State counsel regarding procedure being followed and witnesses being examined, therefore, is clearly unsustainable. As noted above, not a single witness competent to depose in respect of any fact forming part of the allegation against the petitioner in the charge memo has been examined. All the witnesses, who have been examined, are, at best, witness to the lodging of the criminal case after the accused Shambhu Thathera had been apprehended in the Railway yard. The nine witnesses, who have been examined, are not witnesses to the events, prior to arrest of accused Shambhu Thathera, i.e. in the night of 26-12-2016 at the barrack or in the morning of 27-12-2016 when it is alleged that illegal gratification was demanded in presence of the petitioner, accepted and after accepting the illegal gratification the accused Shambhu Thathera and Yatish Kumar released along with consignment of illicit liquor. Even on preponderance of probability it cannot be concluded that based on depositions of these nine witnesses, or material forming part of the criminal investigation arising out of Kiul Rail P.S. Case No. 247 of 2016, the charges have been proved. "

Patna High Court CWJC No.13239 of 2019 dt.05-05-2023

12. This Court has also been informed that the judgment in

the case of Rajpati Shekhar has not been appealed against and it has

already been implemented.

13. Learned Senior Counsel for the petitioner as well as

learned AC to GP-4 for the State have informed this Court that in

case of this petitioner also neither Shambhu Thathera nor Yatish

Kumar who are said to be the two competent witnesses deposed.

14. In the given circumstances, this case is found to be

identically situated to that of Rajpati Shekhar, this Court sets aside

the impugned orders and the disciplinary proceeding against the

petitioner. The petitioner shall be reinstated in service with all

consequential benefits.

(Rajeev Ranjan Prasad, J) tusharika/-

AFR/NAFR
CAV DATE
Uploading Date           06.05.2023
Transmission Date