THE HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE SANJAY KUMAR WRIT PETITION NO.23115 OF 2008 DATED 13TH DECEMBER, 2010 BETWEEN S.Niranjan … Petitioner And APSRTC Rep. by VC & MD, Musheerabad, Hyderabad. And Others. … Respondents THE HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE SANJAY KUMAR WRIT PETITION NO.23115 OF 2008 ORDER: The petitioner, a retired Depot Clerk of the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC), challenges its proceeding dated 30.03.2007 whereby an amount of Rs.18,500/- was recovered from his salary at Rs.1,000/- per month till the date of his retirement and the balance from his terminal benefits. Admittedly, the said recovery was owing to the loss of a block of tickets bearing Nos.22/01000 to 22/01099 of Rs.370/-, worth Rs.37,000/-. After due enquiry, the APSRTC passed the proceeding dated 30.03.2007 directing the recovery as aforestated. Sri P.Govinda Rajulu, learned counsel for the petitioner, relied upon the Judgment of this Court in CH.P.REDDY v. APSRTC[1] and stated that the issue is squarely covered by the said decision. Relying upon Clause 40.07 of the Operation Manual, this Court in the aforestated decision held that the face value of the tickets lost is not liable to be recovered from the person responsible and only the cost of paper and the printing charges are liable to be recovered, apart from the other action that may be taken vide Clause 40.06 of the Operation Manual. Clause 40.06 of the Operation Manual provides that disciplinary action can be taken as per the CCA Regulations. In the present case, no disciplinary action under Clause 40.06 of the Operation Manual was initiated against the petitioner and he was permitted to retire from service. The recovery sought to be effected however is towards the cost of loss sustained by the APSRTC. Sri Shinde, learned counsel representing Sri C.Sunil Kumar Reddy, learned standing counsel for the APSRTC, fairly conceded that in view of the aforestated Judgment and the relevant Clause in the Operation Manual, the APSRTC was only entitled to recover the cost of the paper and the printing charges. The Writ Petition is accordingly allowed setting aside the impugned proceeding dated 30.03.2007. The APSRTC shall work out the cost of the paper and the printing charges liable to be recovered from the petitioner on account of the loss of the block of tickets. The amounts recovered over and above the said amount shall be reimbursed to the petitioner with interest at the rate of 6% (six per cent) per annum from the date of such recovery. There shall be no order as to costs. ____________________ SANJAY KUMAR, J. 13TH DECEMBER, 2010. VGSR/PGS [1] 2000 (5) ALT 7