Nirbhay Kumar Vs Punjab National Bank and… — Writ and Judicial Review | Punjab & Haryana HC (2025)

Nirbhay Kumar Vs Punjab National Bank and… — Writ and Judicial Review | Punjab & Haryana HC (2025)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Writ of mandamus effectuated by direction to respondent No.1-Managing Director-cum-CEO, Punjab National Bank, New Delhi to adjudicate the appeal dated 05.03.2025 (Annexure P-11) within 04 months of receipt of certified copy of the order, with due opportunity of personal hearing; CM documents taken on record as Annexures P-15 to P-18.

Issue for consideration

Whether a writ in the nature of mandamus should be issued directing respondent No.1-Managing Director-cum-CEO, Punjab National Bank to decide the appeal dated 05.03.2025 (Annexure P-11), preferred about 08 months ago against the punishment order dated 24.01.2025 removing the petitioner from service. +1 more

Court's answer

Without adverting to merits, respondent No.1-Managing Director-cum-CEO, Punjab National Bank, New Delhi is directed to adjudicate the pending appeal dated 05.03.2025 (Annexure P-11) within 04 months from receipt of a certified copy of this order, after providing due opportunity of personal hearing to the petitioner; the petition stands disposed of in these terms.

Ratio / Principle

The CM application is allowed and the Banking Services related documents viz. Circular No.31/2018-Consolidated Circular on Intersol Transactions in Customers Accounts, the Central Banking Solution (CBS), Service Outlet (SOL) and Circular No.25/2023-Operations Division (General Banking) regarding Daily Monitoring System are taken on record as Annexures P-15 to P-18, with all just exceptions; CM stands disposed of.

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Punjab and Haryana High Court (Sandeep Moudgil, J.) (06.11.2025): Writ petition under Articles 226/227 of the Constitution of India by Nirbhay Kumar, removed from service of respondent Punjab National Bank by punishment order dated 24.01.2025 (P-10) following enquiry report dated 16.10.2024 (P-8) holding him guilty. Counsel confined the prayer to issuance of a writ in the nature of mandamus directing respondent No.1-Managing Director-cum-CEO, Punjab National Bank, New Delhi to decide the appeal dated 05.03.2025 (Annexure P-11), pending about 08 months. Without adverting to merits, and considering the period for which the appeal had been pending, the Court directed adjudication of the appeal within 04 months from receipt of certified copy of the order, after providing due opportunity of personal hearing. Separate CM-16334-CWP-2025 under Section 151 CPC allowed: Banking Services related documents (Circular No.31/2018-Consolidated Circular on Intersol Transactions in Customers Accounts; Central Banking Solution (CBS)/Service Outlet (SOL); Circular No.25/2023-Operations Division (General Banking) on Daily Monitoring System) taken on record as Annexures P-15 to P-18, with all just exceptions. Petition disposed of accordingly.

IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH

112

CM-16334-CWP-2025 IN/AND CWP-31069-2025 Date of Decision: 06.11.2025

NIRBHAY KUMAR

….PETITIONER(S)

VERSUS

PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK AND ANOTHER

….RESPONDENT(S)

CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SANDEEP MOUDGIL

Present: M r. Hemant Saini, Advocate wit h M r. Vivek Sharma, Advocate an d M r. Himanshu Monga, Advocat e for the petitioner.

SANDEEP MOUDGIL, J. (ORAL)

CM-16334-CWP-2025

T he instant application has b e en moved under Section 151 CPC for plac i ng on record the Banking S e rvices related documents viz . Circular No. 3 1/2018-Consolidated Circula r on Intersol Transactions i n Customers A c counts, the Central Banking Solution (CBS), Service Outle t (SOL) and C i rcular No.25/2023-Operatio n s Division (General Banking ) regarding Da i ly Monitoring System as Anne x ure P-15 to P-18. 2. F or the reasons mentioned in the application as well as th e submissions m ade by the learned counsel f o r the applicant/petitioner, th e same is allo w ed and Banking Services re l ated documents viz. Circula r No.31/2018- C onsolidated Circular on Inter s ol Transactions in Customer s Accounts, th e Central Banking Solution ( C BS), Service Outlet (SOL) an d Circular No. 2 5/2023-Operations Division (General Banking) regardin g Daily Monito r ing System are taken on rec o rd as Annexure P-15 to P-18 , with all just e xceptions.

C M stands disposed of.

NAINA KATHIAT 2025.11.07 12:54 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document

CWP-31069-2025 (O&M)

-2-

Main Case

T he present writ petition h a s been filed under Article s 226/227 of t he Constitution of India see k ing issuance of a writ in th e nature of cer t iorari for quashing the enquir y report dated 16.10.2024 (P-8 ) vide which t h e petitioner has been held g u ilty and further quashing th e punishment o rder dated 24.01.2025 (P-10) , vide which the petitioner ha s been remove d from service.

L earned counsel for the petitio n er confines his prayer in th e instant petiti o n only qua issuance of a wr i t in the nature of mandamu s directing res p ondent No.1-Managing Direc t or-cum-CEO, Punjab Nationa l Bank, Plot N o .4, Sector 10, Dwarka, New D e lhi to decide the appeal date d 05.03.2025 ( Annexure P-11), which was preferred 08 months bac k challenging t h e order of punishment dated 2 4.01.2025 (Annexure P-10). 3. W ithout adverting to the merits and after due consideratio n that the peti t ioner’s prayer appears to be just and fair, and keeping i n view the peri o d for which the appeal has b e en pending, respondent No.1 - Managing D i rector-cum-CEO, Punjab N a tional Bank, New Delhi i s directed to a d judicate the same within a p eriod of 04 months from th e date of receipt of certified copy of thi s order, after providing du e opportunity of personal hearing to the petiti o ner. 5. T he present petition stands dis p osed of in the aforesaid terms.

(SANDEEP MOUDGIL) JUDGE

06.11.2025 NainaRajput W hether speaking/reasoned :Yes/No W hether reportable :Yes/No

NAINA KATHIAT 2025.11.07 12:54 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document