- (1.) This case concerns the proceedings arising out of an order of this Court dated 4-5-2000 proposing to reopen the quantum of punishments imposed in departmental inquiries on certain officers of the Delhi Development Authority (hereinafter called the DDA) who were connected with the land of the DDA allotted to M/s. Skipper Construction Co. It was proposed to consider imposition of higher degree of punishments in view of the role of these officers in the said matter. After directions were given by this Court that disciplinary action be taken and punishments were (sic) imposed, this Court had no occasion to examine whether the right punishments were awarded to the officers in accordance with well known principles of law or whether the punishments required any upward revision.
(2.) The facts of the case limited to the present order are as follows : By an order dated 29-11-1994, this Court requested Justice O. Chinnappa Reddy (former Judge of this Court), to investigate into the conduct of the officials of the DDA including its ex officio Chairman at the relevant time, in handing over the possession of the suit land in M/s. Skipper Construction Pvt. Ltd. before receiving the auction amount in full and also in "conniving" at the construction thereon as well as at the advertisements given by it for bookings in the building in question. The learned Judge was also requested to "look into the legality and propriety of the order dated 4-10-1998 passed by the then ex officio Chairman of the DDA and the directions given by the Central Government under S. 41 of the Delhi Development Act."
(3.) Justice Reddy submitted his report on 7-7-1995. Thereafter, this Court accepted the report and passed an order of 29-11-1995, directing the Department of Personnel to initiate disciplinary proceedings against five officers (i) Sri V. S. Ailawadi IAS (retired), (ii) Sri K. S. Baidwan IAS, (iii) Sri Virendra Nath IAS, (iv) Sri R. S. Sethi IAS, and (v) Sri Om Kumar IAS. This Court in its order, stated that so far as Sri Om Kumar was concerned, only a minor punishment could be imposed.;