Case: Deepali Gundu Surwase Vs. Kranti Junior Adhyapak

The appellant was appointed as a teacher in Nandanvan Vidya Mandir (Primary School) run by a trust established and controlled by Bagade family. The grant in aid given by the State Government, which included rent for the building was received by Bagade family because the premises belonged to one of its members, namely, Shri Dulichand. In 2005, the Municipal Corporation of Aurangabad raised a tax bill of Rs.79,974/- by treating the property as commercial. Thereupon, the Headmistress of the school, who was also President of the Trust, addressed a letter to all the employees including the appellant requiring them to contribute a sum of Rs.1500/- per month towards the tax liability. The appellant refused to comply with the dictate of the Headmistress. Annoyed by this, the management issued as many as 25 memos to the appellant and then placed her under suspension vide letter dated 14.11.2006. She submitted reply to each and every memorandum and denied the allegations. Education Officer (Primary) Zilla Parishad, Aurangabad did not approve thesuspension. However, the letter of suspension was not revoked. She was not even paid subsistence allowance in terms of the Maharashtra Employees of Private Schools (Conditions of Service) Rules, 1981 (for short, ‘theWrit Petition No.8404 of 2006 filed by the appellant questioning her suspension was disposed of by the Division Bench of the Bombay High Court vide order dated 21.3.2007 and it was declared that the appellant will be deemed to have rejoined her duties from 14.3.2007 and entitled to consequential benefits in terms of Rule 37(2)(f) of the Rules and that the payment of arrears shall be the liability of the management. Paragraphs 4 and 5 of that order read asConsidering the order we intend passing it is not necessary for us to deal with the rival contentions of the parties. That will be for the Inquiry Committee to decide. In view of the apprehensions expressed regarding the inquiry being dragged on unnecessarily, it is necessary to safeguard the interests of the petitioner as well.5. In the circumstances, Rule is made absolute in the following terms.i) The Inquiry Committee shall conclude the proceedings and pass a final order on or before 31.5.2007.ii) The petitioner shall be at liberty to have her case represented by Smt.Sulbha Panditrao Munde.iii) The petitioner/her representative shall appear, in the first instance, before the Inquiry Committee at 11 a.m. on 26.3.2007 and, thereafter, as directed by the Inquiry Committee.iv) The petitioner is entitled to the benefit of Rule 37 (2) (f) of Maharashtra Employees of Private Schools (Conditions of Service) Rules, 1981, as specified in paragraph 11 of the order and judgment of the Division Bench in the case of Hamid Khan Nayyar s/o Habib Khan v. Education Officer, Amravati and others (supra). The petitioner shall be deemed to have rejoined the duties from 14.3.2007 and entitled to consequential benefits that would flow out of Rule 37 (2) (f). The payment of arrears shall be the liability of the management.In the meanwhile, the management issued notice dated 28.12.2006 for holding an inquiry against the appellant under Rules 36 and 37 of the Rules. The appellant nominated Smt. Sulbha Panditrao Munde to appear before the Inquiry Committee, but Smt. Munde was not allowed to participate in the inquiry proceedings. The Inquiry Committee conducted ex parte proceedings and the management terminated theservice vide order dated 15.6.2007.6. The appellant challenged the aforesaid order under Section 9 of the Act. In the appeal filed by her on 25.6.2007, the appellant pleaded that the action taken by the management was arbitrary and violative of the principles of natural justice. She further pleaded that the sole object of the inquiry was to teach her a lesson for refusing to comply with the illegal demand of the management.7. The management contested the appeal and pleaded that the action taken by it was legal and justified because the appellant had been found guilty of misconduct. It was further pleaded that the inquiry was held in consonance with the relevant rules and the principles of natural justice.8. By an order dated 20.6.2009, the Presiding Officer of the School Tribunal, Aurangabad Division (for short, ‘theallowed the appeal and quashed the termination of theservice. He also directed the management to pay full back wages to the appellant. The Tribunal considered theplea that she had not been given reasonable opportunity of hearing andlet us test for what purpose and for what subject inquiry was initiated in what manner inquiry was conducted, which witnesses have been examined and how injury was conclude. I have already demonstrate above that starting point against this appellant is calling upon staff members collection of fund for payment for tax dues page 54 of appeal memo. All the staff members have objected this joining hands together page 58 of appeal. Fact finding committee have submitted its report Exhibit 62. Report of Education Officer (Primary) in regard to the proposal of appointment of Administrator page 71. If we see issuance of memo by Head Mistress, I observe that language which is used to revengeful against this appellant. It seems that attitude towards this appellant was of indecent and I also observed that behaviour of the appellant have also instigated Head Mistress for the same. Language is of law standard use in the letter by imputing defamed language and humiliation to the appellant.If we see memos, we can find that some memos are of silly count i.e. late for 3 minutes page 95, query about the examination page 93 to which appellant have replied that when no examinations were held where is the question of getting inquiry by the parents page 96. In regard to the memo, in regard to the black dress on 15.08.2005 and 06.12.2005 and about issuance of show cause notice for issuing false affidavit page 143.We can find attitude of this Head Master towards appellant. Three minute late is very silly ground query about examination which was not at all held, wearing of black dress during course of argument there was argument on photograph, however, no such photograph is submitted on record. In this regard during course of argument, it was brought to my notice that on 15.08.2005 this appellant have wore black colour blouse, however, she had wore white sari on her person. First thing is that there is no such rule about so called colour that it is bogus colour or this colour is being used for protesting or otherwise. How and why Head Mistress and Management have made issue of this black colour blouse I cannot understand. I have gone through the whole record but I do not find any circular issued by Head Mistress by which all the staff members have been called upon to come in dress for this function. So in the absence of such circular, how it can be an issue of inquiry.Another aspect is that one of the staff Vijay Gedam have lodged appeal before this Tribunal in favour of him, this appellant and one another staff teacher have swear affidavit. I do not find how this issue can be a subject of inquiry that appellant have swear false affidavit. Is Head Mistress having authority to say that this appellant have swear false affidavit. Here I find 5 to 6 staff members have supported this appellant, at the same time some teachers have also come forward this Head Mistress. They were in dilemma to whom they may favour. So over all attitude of this Head Mistress against this appellant is revengeful with ulterior motive to drag this appellant in inquiry proceeding.I gone through the statement recorded of the witnesses. I find that all the statements are general in nature and it is repetition of statement of first witness Surajkumar Khobragade. Nobody has made statement specifically with date and incident. The deposition is a general statement which is already in memos which have been issue by the Head Mistress to the appellant.More important in this regard that no cross examination of witnesses by the appellant. In the statement of witnesses, I do not find any endorsement that appellant was absent or appellant is present, she declined to cross examine or otherwise. These statements have been concluded that witnesses have stated before inquiry committee, that is all. If we read first statement of first witnesses we can find carry forward of the statement for other witnesses by some minor change in the statement.One crucial aspect in regard to the proceeding is that this Head Mistress who had issued more than 25 bulky memos against this appellant and on whose complaint or grievances this inquiry was initiate, have not been examined by the inquiry committee. I am surprised that why such a key witness is not examined. In reply this appellant have put her grievances against Head Mistress. By taking advantage of this Chief Executive Officer of the inquiry i.e. Sonia Bagale called upon written explanation from Head Mistress to cover up complaint and grievances of the appellant. It is on 21.05.2007, page 777, 778 and 781 by this explanation again one issues have been brought which were not subject matter of the chargesheet. So it is serious lacuna in this inquiry proceeding that witnesses Head Mistress have not beenTribunal then adverted to the charges levelled against the appellant andis also demonstrated in the course of argument that permission was not granted as per letter dated 22.11.2006 of Education Officer. So naturally suspension of this appellant was in question. It is another aspect that on persuasion appellant have been paid subsistence allowance. However, remaining subsistence allowance till today is not paid to the appellant. So it can be another ground for vitiating inquiry.204(1)Mh. L.J. page 676 in case of Awdhesh Narayan K. Singh vs. Adarsh Vidya Mandir Trust and another, (a) Maharashtra Employees of Private Schools (Conditions of Service) Rules 1981, R.R. 35 and 33- Failure to obtain prior permission of Authority under Rule 33(1) before suspending an employee does not affect the action of suspension pending inquiry- If prior permission is obtained, Rule 35(3) is attracted and the suspended employee is entitled for subsistence allowance under the scheme of payment through Cooperative Banks for a period of four months after which period the payment is to be made by the Management. If an employee is suspended without obtaining prior approval of the Education Authority, payment of subsistence allowance for entire period has to be made by the Management. So if considered all these aspects, we can find that appeal deserves to be allowed by quashing inquiry held againstTribunal finally took cognizance of the fact that the appellant was kept under suspension from 14.11.2006 and she was not gainfully employed after the termination of her service and declared that she is entitled to full back wages. The operative portion of the order passed by the Tribunal reads asAppeal is allowed.2) The termination order dated 15.06.2007 issued by Respondent on the basis of inquiry report is hereby quashed and set aside.3) The appellant is hereby reinstated on her original post and Respondents are directed to reinstate the appellant in her original post as Asst. Teacher Nandanvan Vidyamandir (Primary School), Aurangabad with full back wages from the date of termination till date of reinstatement.4) The Respondent Nos.1 to 3 are hereby directed to deposit full back wages i.e. pay and allowances of the appellant from the date of her termination till the date of her reinstatement in the service, within 45 days in this Tribunal from the date of this order.5) The appellant will be entitled to withdraw the above amounts from this Tribunal immediately after it is deposited.The management challenged the order of the Tribunal in Writ Petition No. 10032 of 2010. The learned Single Judge examined the issues raised by the management in detail and expressed his agreement with the Tribunal that the decision of the management to suspend the appellant and to terminate her service were vitiated due to violation of the statutory provisions and the principles of natural justice. While commenting upon thesuspension, the learned Single Judgehas also come on record that the appellant was suspended by suspension letter dated 14.11.2006. The appellant made representation to the Education Officer. The Education Officer refused to approve suspension of the appellant as per his letter dated 22.11.2006. From careful perusal of the material brought on record, I do not find that, there arose extraordinary situation to suspend services of the appellant without taking prior approval of the Education Officer, as contemplated under Rules. No doubt, the Management can suspend services of an employee without prior approval of the Education Officer, but for that there should be extraordinary situation. However, in the facts of this case, nothing is brought on record to suggest that there was extraordinary situation existing so as to take emergent steps to suspend services of the appellant without taking prior approval of the Education Officer (Primary), Zilla Parishad, Aurangabad. It is also not in dispute that the Education Officer declined to approve suspension of the appellant as per his letter dated 22.11.2006.Therefore, taking into consideration facts involved in the present case, conclusion is reached by the School Tribunal that the Management of the petitioner-school/Institution is dominated by the members of Bagadelearned Single Judge then considered the finding recorded by the Tribunal that the Inquiry Committee was not validly constituted andthe present case, admittedly petitioners herein did not file any application or made prayer for reconstituting the inquiry committee and to proceed further for inquiry by newly reconstituted committee. On the contrary, from reading the reply filed by the petitioners herein before the School Tribunal, it is abundantly clear that the petitioners went on justifying constitution of the Committee and stating in the reply that no fault can be attributed with the constitution of the Committee. Therefore, in absence of such prayer, the School Tribunal proceeded further and dealt with all the charges which were levelled against the appellant i.e. Respondent No.3 herein. Therefore, in my opinion, further adjudication by the Tribunal on merits of the matter cannot be said to be beyond jurisdiction or powers of the School Tribunal. In the facts of this case, as it is apparent from the findings recorded by the School Tribunal, that as the case in hand is a case of victimization and petitioner Management as well as the Inquiry Committee having joined hands against the delinquent right from the beginning, no premium can be put over the action of the petitioner-Management and Inquiry Committee who threw the principles of natural justice in the air. It would be a travesty of justice, in these circumstances, to allow the petitioner- Management to once again hold inquiry in such a extremethe learned Single Judge set aside the direction given by the School Tribunal for payment of back wages by relying upon the judgments in J.K. Synthetics Ltd. v. K. P. Agrawal and another (2007) 2 SCC 433  and Zilla Parishad, Gadchiroli and another v. Prakash s/o Nagorao Thete and another 2009 (4) Mh. L. J. 628. The observations made by the learned Single Judge on this issue are extractedperusal of above reproduced para 40 of the judgment of the School Tribunal would make it abundantly clear that, the advocate for the appellant, in the course of arguments, argued that the appellant was kept under suspension from 14.11.2006 till the appeal is finally heard. It was argued that the appellant was not gainfully employed anywhere during the period of suspension and termination and therefore, she is entitled to back wages from the date of her suspension. The Tribunal has observed that no rebuttal argument by other side. Therefore, it appears that, the School Tribunal has considered only oral submissions of the Counsel appearing for the appellant, in the absence of any specific pleadings, prayers and evidence for payment of back wages. There was no application or pleadings before the School Tribunal on oath by the appellant stating that she was not gainfully employed from the date of suspension till reinstatement. Therefore, in my considered opinion, finding recorded by the Tribunal in clauses 3 to 5 of the operative order, in respect of payment of back wages, cannot be sustained, in the light of law laid down by this Court and Honourable Supreme Court in respect of payment of back

Reasoning:
we find that thedecision to terminate theservice was preceded by her suspension albeit without any rhyme or reason and even though the Division Bench of the High Court declared that she will be deemed to have rejoined her duty on 14.3.2007 and entitled to consequential benefits, the management neither allowed her to join the duty nor paid wages. Rather, after making a show of holding inquiry, the management terminated her service vide order dated 15.6.2007. The Tribunal found that action of the management to be wholly arbitrary and vitiated due to violation of the rules of natural justice. The Tribunal further found that the allegations levelled against the appellant were frivolous. The Tribunal also took cognizance of the statement made on behalf of the appellant that she was not gainfully employed anywhere and the fact that the management had not controverted the same and ordered her reinstatement with full back wages.35. The learned Single Judge agreed with the Tribunal that the action taken by the management to terminate theservice was per se illegal but set aside the award of back wages by making a cryptic observation that she had not proved the factum of non-employment during the intervening period. While doing so, the learned Single Judge not only overlooked the order passed by the Division Bench in Writ Petition No.8404/2006, but also Rule 33 which prohibits an employee from taking employment elsewhere. Indeed, it was not even the pleaded case of the management that during the period of suspension, the appellant had left the Headquarter without prior approval of the Chief Executive Officer and thereby disentitling her from getting subsistence allowance or that during the intervening period she was gainfully employedview of the above discussion, we hold that the learned Single Judge of the High Court committed grave error by interfering with the order passed by the Tribunal for payment of back wages, ignoring that the charges levelled against the appellant were frivolous and the inquiry was held in gross violation of the rules of natural justice.