2.The petitioner was directly recruited as Sub-Inspector of Police, Category-I on 02.06.1997. He was promoted to the post of Inspector of Police on 28.05.2010. While working as SubInspector of Police, the petitioner was issued with a charge memo by the first respondent on 15.12.2006 under Rule 3 (b) of TNPSS(D& A) Rules, for certain acts and misconduct in discharge of his duties. The petitioner has submitted a detailed explanation denying the charges. Thereafter, not satisfied with the explanation, an enquiry was conducted, in which, the petitioner was given due opportunity to participate in the enquiry. On conclusion of enquiry, a report was submitted by the enquiry officer. Since, the charge is proved, a copy of the enquiry report dated 21.01.2008 was furnished to the petitioner. An explanation was also offered by the petitioner on the enquiry officer's report. Thereafter, the disciplinary authority after taking into consideration the representation of the petitioner and also the findings of the enquiry report, imposed a punishment of postponement of increment for a period of one year without cumulative effect vide order dated 17.03.2008. Against the above imposition of penalty, the petitioner preferred an appeal to the second respondent and the appellate authority on considering the appeal, modified the penalty of postponement of increment for a period of one year without cumulative effect into one of postponement of increment for six months without cumulative effect by order dated 03.06.2008. Thereafter, the petitioner, preferred a mercy petition to the third respondent dated 11.11.2008 but the same was rejected on 06.02.2009. Further, the petitioner preferred a petition to the Government i.e., the fourth respondent herein on 25.02.2009 and the same also came to be rejected on 09.02.2010. The impugned penalty of the appellate authority and the original authority and the subsequent rejection orders are put to challenge in the present writ petition.
