The Allahabad High Court has refused to order lifting of the suspension of a Allahabad Bank Branch Manager in connection with his alleged involvement in demanding and accepting bribe for sanction of loan.
The Court dismissed his writ petition filed against the suspension, refusing interference in the matter.
A division bench of justiceS Shree Narain Shukla and Rajan Roy passed the judgment on May 29, copy of which was made available today, on a writ petition filed by Dilip Kumar Soni, suspended Branch Manager of Srawasti district.
Soni was arrested and detained by CBI for a period exceeding 48 hours and then placed under suspension, vide order dated December 24, 2012.
Under the rules of the Bank, he submitted an application for revocation of his suspension, which had been rejected by the competent authority of bank administration on August 8,2014.
The petitioner had challenged this order through writ petition and submitted that his continued suspension needs to be brought to an end.
On behalf of the Bank, it was submitted that the request of the petitioner for revocation of suspension had been rejected on justified grounds, as criminal prosecution against him had been sanctioned by the competent authority on February 28,2013 and the criminal case was pending before the special court here.
"The petitioner herein is alleged to have demanded and accepted bribe for which the criminal case is pending against him under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
"Therefore, under these circumstances, persuaded by the earlier decisions of the Supreme Court, we are of the view that the opposite parties are justified in refusing to revoke the suspension as if the petitioner is put back in service with such serious charges, neither the possibility of repetition of the earlier acts, as alleged, can be ruled out nor the serious consequences flowing therefrom for the Bank ", the court observed.
