Telangana High Court on Friday set aside the punishment of permanent withholding of 30% pension of a septuagenarian retired State government employee.
A bench of Chief Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and Justice Surepalli Nanda allowed the writ petition filed by retired Sub-Treasury Officer of Karimnagar district S.M.P.M. Hashmi, quashing the order of Andhra Pradesh Administrative Tribunal declining to revoke the punishment. The petitioner worked as Karimnagar STO from March, 1997 till his retirement on January 31, 2001.
Three years after his superannuation, the department officials accused him of paying amounts ranging from ₹17,000 to ₹75,000 to two colleagues without sanctioning orders from the department head. These payments were considered by the authorities fraudulent withdrawals.
