Dismissed¶38

Smt Pendem Umarani v. Uco Bank

Karnataka HC14 Nov 2025WP/28594/2025

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

Karnataka High Court, WP No. 28594 of 2025 (S-RES), decided 14.11.2025 by Ashok S. Kinagi, J. UCO Bank officer's writ petition against disciplinary charge sheet dated 06.02.2025, vigilance department communication dated 25.08.2025 and enquiry report dated 08.08.2025, alleging violation of natural justice, Articles 14, 19 and 21, and Regulation 6 of the UCO Bank Officer Employees (Discipline and Appeal) Regulations. Punishment order passed on 08.10.2025 during pendency; writ petition dismissed as having become infructuous; liberty reserved to challenge the punishment order; pending IAs disposed of. No precedent cases cited.

What did the court decide?

Liberty reserved to the petitioner to challenge the order of punishment dated 08.10.2025, if so advised; pending IAs disposed of accordingly. ¶38

Smt Pendem Umarani Vs Uco Bank — Writ and Judicial Review | Karnataka HC (2025)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Liberty reserved to the petitioner to challenge the order of punishment dated 08.10.2025, if so advised; pending IAs disposed of accordingly.

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Issue for consideration

Whether the disciplinary proceedings initiated against the petitioner by issuance of the charge sheet dated 06.02.2025 and the subsequent vigilance department communication dated 25.08.2025 enclosing the enquiry report dated 08.08.2025 are arbitrary, unlawful, violative of the principles of natural justice and of the petitioner's fundamental rights under Articles 14, 19 and 21, and contrary to the procedure contemplated under Regulation 6 of the UCO Bank Officer Employees (Discipline and Appeal) Regulations.

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Court's answer

As the order of punishment was passed on 08.10.2025 during the pendency of the writ petition, nothing survives for consideration in the writ petition, which is accordingly dismissed as having become infructuous.

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Ratio / Principle

Liberty is reserved to the petitioner to challenge the order of punishment dated 08.10.2025, if so advised.

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Key takeaways

In view of the disposal of the petition, the pending IAs do not survive for consideration and are disposed of accordingly.ratio¶45

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Writ Petition (S-RES) filed under Articles 226 and 227 of the Constitution of India by a Manager at UCO Bank challenging the charge sheet bearing No. ZO/BLR/VIG/STF/2024-25/18 dated 06.02.2025 (Annexure-A) initiating disciplinary proceedings, the vigilance department communication bearing No.ZO/BLR/VIG/STF/2025-26/20 dated 25.08.2025 (Annexure-B) and the enquiry report dated 08.08.2025 (Annexure-C), on the grounds that they were arbitrary, unlawful, violative of the principles of natural justice and of Articles 14, 19 and 21 of the Constitution, and contrary to the procedure contemplated under Regulation 6 of the UCO Bank Officer Employees (Discipline and Appeal) Regulations. Learned counsel for the respondents submitted that pursuant to the charge sheet the enquiry had been concluded and an order of punishment was passed on 08.10.2025 during the pendency of the writ petition. Held: nothing surviving for consideration, the writ petition is dismissed as having become infructuous; liberty is reserved to the petitioner to challenge the order of punishment dated 08.10.2025, if so advised; pending IAs are disposed of accordingly.

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NC: 2025:KHC:46732 WP No. 28594 of 2025

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HC-KAR

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IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU

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DATED THIS THE 14^TH DAY OF NOVEMBER, 2025

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BEFORE

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THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE ASHOK S.KINAGI

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WRIT PETITION NO. 28594 OF 2025 (S-RES)

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BETWEEN:

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SMT PENDEM UMARANI W/O JELLA RAMESH AGE ABOUT 49 YEARS OCC: MANAGER AT UCO BANK R/A FLAT No. 203, PLOT No. 3 AND 4 VASAVI RESIDENCY INDIRA NAGAR COLONY KOTHAPET HYDERABAD 500035

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…PETITIONER

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Digitally signed by SUNITHA K S Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA

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(BY SRI. JITTO JOSEPH, ADVOCATE FOR SRI. DEVENDRA GOWDA R R., ADVOCATE)

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AND:

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UCO BANK

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REP. BY ITS ZONAL MANAGER O/AT ZONAL OFFICE (VIGILANCE DEPARTMENT) ATA 13/22, 2^ND FLOOR, K G ROAD BANGALORE 560009

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UCO BANK

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REP. BY ITS DEPUTY GENERAL MANAGER AND DISCIPLINARY AUTHORITY O/AT ZONAL OFFICE (VIGILANCE DEPARTMENT) AT 13/22, 2^ND FLOOR,

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NC: 2025:KHC:46732 WP No. 28594 of 2025

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HC-KAR

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K G ROAD BANGALORE 560009

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UCO BANK

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REP. BY ITS CHAIRMAN AND MANAGING DIRECTOR O/AT 10 B T M SARANI KOLKATA WEST BENGAL 700001 INDIA

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…RESPONDENTS

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(BY SRI. VENUGOPALA M S., ADVOCATE)

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THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO-ISSUE A WRIT ORDER OR DIRECTION MORE PARTICULARLY ONE IN THE NATURE OF WRIT OF MANDAMUS OR ANY OTHER APPROPRIATE WRIT DECLARING THAT THE DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS INITIATED AGAINST THE PETITIONER BY ISSUANCE OF THE CHARGE SHEET BEARING NO. ZO/BLR/VIG/STF/2024-25/18/, DATED 06.02.2025 (ANNEXURE -A) AND THE SUBSEQUENT COMMUNICATION ISSUED BY THE VIGILANCE DEPARTMENT BEARING NO.ZO/BLR/VIG/STF/2025-26/20 DATED 25.08.2025 (ANNEXURE -B) ENCLOSING THE ENQUIRY REPORT DATED 08.08.2025 (ANNEXURE-C) ARE ARBITRARY UNLAWFUL VIOLATIVE OF THE PRINCIPALS OF NATURAL JUSTICE VIOLATIVE OF THE PETITIONERS FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS GUARANTEED UNDER ARTICLES 14,19 AND 21 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA, AND CONTRARY TO THE PROCEEDINGS PROCEDURE CONTEMPLATED UNDER REGULATION 6 OF THE UCO BANK OFFICER EMPLOYEES (DISCIPLINE AND APPEAL) REGULATIONS. II. CONSEQUENTLY, QUASH AND SET ASIDE THE CHARGE SHEET DATED 06.02.2025 (ANNEXURE-A) AND THE VIGILANCE DEPARTMENT COMMUNICATION DATED 25.08.2025 (ANNEXURE-B) ALONG WITH THE ENQUIRY REPORT DATED 08.08.2025 (ANNEXURE-C) ISSUED ON THE FILE OF THE DEPUTY GENERAL MANAGER AND ZONAL HEAD (DISCIPLINARY AUTHORITY), ZONAL OFFICE, BANGALORE.

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3 - NC: 2025:KHC:46732 WP No. 28594 of 2025

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HC-KAR

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THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING IN 'B' GROUP, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER:

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CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE ASHOK S.KINAGI

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ORAL ORDER

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The petitioner filed this writ petition challenging the enquiry report dated 08.08.2025 vide Annexure-C, and charge sheet dated 06.02.2025 vide Annexure-A.

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Learned counsel for the respondents submits

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that pursuant to the charge sheet, an enquiry was concluded and order of punishment was passed on 08.10.2025 during the pendency of the writ petition. As

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the order of punishment is passed, in view of the same, nothing survives for consideration in this writ petition.

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