In Brief
K. Prabhakar Hegde, a bank manager of Vijaya Bank (which merged with Bank of Baroda), was dismissed from service following disciplinary proceedings initiated in 1999 for alleged irregularities in approving temporary overdrafts. The Supreme Court held that the failure to furnish a preliminary inquiry report to the charged officer does not vitiate proceedings if not relied upon by the inquiry officer. However, the Court found that the inquiry officer failed to comply with the mandatory requirement to generally question the appellant on adverse circumstances in the evidence. The Court also held that a CVC recommendation altering the proposed penalty must be furnished to the employee. The dismissal order was quashed, and the appellant was entitled only to gratuity equivalent benefits without other terminal benefits.
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