NASEEB KHAN vs DIVISIONAL SUPERINTENDENT, PAKISTAN RAILWAYS, LAHORE

' IJAZ-UL-HASSAN KHAN, J.--- Through instant petition under Article 212(3) of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973, Naseeb Khan, petitioner, seeks leave against judgment, dated 23-1-2008 of learned Federal Service Tribunal, Islamabad, whereby appeal of the petitioner, challenging his dismissal from service, has been dismissed, in limine, being barred by time.

2. Precisely stated facts of the case as gathered from the record are, that petitioner joined service of respondent-Department as Junior Commercial Assistant Booking (BS-5) on 26-3-1998 and served as such for 14 years. On 10-11-2001 due to demise of his wife, petitioner proceeded on leave.

Petitioner was on leave when his father expired on 31-12-2001. According to the petitioner on 26-5- 2002, he reported back but he was not allowed to resume duty and was issued a show-cause notice along with statement of allegations for remaining absent from duty without prior permission. The petitioner preferred representation/appeal which was rejected vide order, dated 13-5-2006. Feeling aggrieved, petitioner filed appeal before the Federal Service Tribunal, Islamabad which has been dismissed in limine, as stated above vide judgment impugned herein.

3. Mr. Abdur Rehman Siddiqui, learned Advocate, appearing for the petitioner argued that learned Tribunal has overlooked the settled law regarding limitation against a void order while dismissing petitioner's appeal as time-barred particularly when petitioner's departmental representation was not rejected on the question of limitation and that major penalty of dismissal from service has been imposed upon the petitioner without holding regular inquiry into the matter and without affording opportunity of defence to the petitioner.

4. We find substance in the submissions of learned counsel for the petitioner. It has been contemplated under section 5 of the Removal from Service (Special Powers) Ordinance, 2000 that in case of charge of misconduct as stipulated in section 3 of the Ordinance, a full fledge enquiry is to be conducted in order to give an opportunity to the civil servant to clarify his position. Section 5 of the Ordinance is reproduced below for facility sake:- "Power to appoint an Inquiry Officer or Inquiry Committee.---(1) Subject to the provisions of subsection (2), the competent authority shall, before passing an order under section 3, appoint an Inquiry Officer or Inquiry Committee to scrutinize the conduct of a person in Government service or a person in corporation service who is alleged to have committed any of the acts or omissions specified in section 3. The Inquiry officer or as the case may be, the Inquiry Committee shall---

(a) communicate to the accused the, charges and statement of allegations specified in the order of inquiry passed by the competent authority;

(b) require the accused within seven days from the day the charge is communicated to him to put in written defence;

(c) enquire into the charge and may examine such oral or documentary evidence in support of the charge or in defence of the accused as may be considered necessary and the accused shall be entitled to cross-examine the witnesses against him; and

(d) hear the case from day to day and no adjournment shall be given except for special reasons to be recorded in writing and intimated to the competent authority.

(2) Where the Inquiry Officer or as the case may be, the Inquiry Committee is satisfied that the accused is hampering, or attempting to hamper, the progress of the inquiry he or it shall record a finding to that effect and proceed to complete the, inquiry in such manner as he, or it, deems proper in the interest of justice.

(3) The Inquiry Officer or as the case may be the Inquiry Committee shall submit his or its findings and recommendations to the competent authority within twenty-five days of the initiation of inquiry.

(4) The competent authority may dispense with the inquiry under subsection (1) if it is in possession of sufficient documentary evidence against the accused, or for reasons to be recorded in writing, it is satisfied that there is no need of holding an inquiry.

(5) Where a person who has entered into plea bargaining under any law for the time being in force, and has returned the assets or gains acquired through corruption or corrupt practices voluntarily, the inquiry shall not be ordered: ' Provided that show-cause notice shall be issued on the basis of such plea bargaining to such person informing of the action proposed to be taken against him and the grounds of such action requiring him to submit reply within fifteen days of the receipt of the notice. On receipt of the reply, the competent authority may pass such orders as it may deem fit."

5. In case of imposing a major penalty, the principle of natural justice requires that a regular enquiry is to be conducted in the matter and opportunity of defence and personal hearing is to be provided to the civil servant proceeded against as held by this Court in the case of Pakistan International Airlines Corporation v. Ms. Shaista Naheed 2004 SCM R 316 and Inspector-General of Police, Karachi and 2 others v. Shafqat Mehmood 2003 SCMR 2007.

6. Keeping in view the facts and circumstances of the case, we find that petitioner has been condemned unheard and major penalty of dismissal from service has been imposed upon him without adopting the required and mandatory procedure, resulting in manifest injustice.

7. In view of the above, this petition is converted into appeal and allowed accordingly. The impugned judgment of the Service Tribunal, Islamabad, is set aside and petitioner is reinstated in service. However, his intervening period shall be treated as leave without pay. The department, may conduct a regular inquiry into the charges against the appellant, if so desired. No order as to costs.