IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE, ANDHRA PRADESH AT HYDERABAD (Special Original Jurisdiction) WEDNESDAY, THE TWENTY FOURTH DAY OF SEPTEMBER TWO THOUSAND AND EIGHT PRESENT THE HON'BLE SRI JUSTICE C.V.RAMULU WRIT PETITION No.20859 of 2008 Between: Sk. Nayab Rasool, S/o. Raja Saheb, E.No.503846, Kanigiri, Ongole, Prakasam District. ..... PETITIONER AND 1 The Regional Manager, APSRTC, Ongole, Prakasam District. 2 The Depot Manager, APSRTC, Kanigiri Depot, Prakasam District. .....RESPONDENTS Petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying that in the circumstances stated in the Aﬃdavit ﬁled herein the High Court may be pleased to issue an appropriate Writ, order or direction more particularly one in the nature of WRIT OF MANDAMUS declaring the action of 2nd respondent in placing the petitioner under suspension vide proceeding No. 02/95(174)/08-KNG 30-7-2008 as illegal, arbitrary, void and unconstitutional set aside the order of suspension by directing the 2nd respondent to reinstate the petitioner as a Driver Grade 1. Counsel for the Petitioner: MR.N.RAVI PRASAD Counsel for the Respondents: MR.C.PRAKASH REDDY(SC FOR APSRTC) The Court made the following: THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE C.V. RAMULU WRIT PETITION No.20859 OF 2008 ORDER: In this writ petition, the petitioner, who was working as Driver in the respondent Corporation, questions the order, dated 30.07.2008, in proceedings No.O2/95(174)/08-KNG, passed by the 2nd respondent- Depot Manager, Kanigiri, placing him under suspension for certain cash and ticket irregularities alleged to have been committed by him while driving a bus on the route Bangalore-Kanigiri on 20.07.2008. Heard both sides. From a perusal of the charge sheet, dated 30.7.2008, issued to the petitioner, it seems that the charges levelled against the petitioner are serious and grave. Further, placing an employee under suspension, pending enquiry into the allegations levelled against him/her, is not a punishment itself. It is to enable the authorities to conduct a fair enquiry into the allegations levelled against the charged employee. However, no extraordinary grounds are made out to interfere with the impugned suspension order, under Article 226 of the Constitution of India. The writ petition is devoid of merits and is liable to be dismissed. Accordingly, the writ petition is dismissed. No order as to costs. _________________ JUSTICE C.V. RAMULU 24th September, 2008. IBL