A.K. Goel, J. - (1.) THIS petition seeks quashing of penalty of lowering of two stages of pay imposed against the petitioner.
(2.) CASE of the petitioner is that he was working as Senior Mycologist in Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana. He retired from service on 1.6.2005 as Head of the Department of Microbiology. He was given a chargesheet dated 24.6.2003, Annexure P -1, alleging that on conducting physical verification, items valuing Rs. 13,738.17/ -claimed to have been supplied by the contractor, were found missing. The petitioner had released payment of Rs. 21,731/ -to the contractor after giving a certificate that the contract work of the contractor was satisfactory. This amounted to misappropriation. The petitioner denied the charge. An inquiry was held. The Inquiry Officer held the charges to be proved.
(3.) SHOW cause notice was given to the petitioner, which he replied and thereafter, impugned order of punishment dated 13.5.2004 was passed, lowering the pay of the petitioner by two stages till retirement. The petitioner filed an appeal which was dismissed vide order dated 24.11.2005. The petitioner also filed a review, which was dismissed on 24.7.2007.;