Key facts
- The Bombay High Court ruled that unauthorized absence from work by an RBI official is grave misconduct.
- The court dismissed a plea by Animesh Bakuli, a senior assistant compulsorily retired by the RBI.
- Bakuli was absent without permission for an extended period, including during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- The RBI initiated disciplinary action after Bakuli failed to respond to notices and inquiry proceedings.
- The court found the RBI's decision to be valid and not suffering from any infirmity.
The Bombay High Court has ruled that an unauthorized absence from work by a Reserve Bank of India (RBI) official constitutes grave misconduct, detrimental to public interest. The court dismissed a plea filed by Animesh Bakuli, a senior assistant, who was compulsorily retired by the RBI in February 2023.
Bakuli, employed by the RBI since 2013 and designated as a senior assistant since 2018, had remained absent from his duties without permission from March 2020. The RBI had sent repeated communications directing him to report back to duty or submit a leave application with a medical certificate, but Bakuli did not respond.
Following his continued absence, the RBI issued a show-cause notice and initiated an inquiry for breach of rules and misconduct. Bakuli failed to reply to the notice or appear for the inquiry meetings. Consequently, the RBI passed a final order compulsorily retiring him from service. Bakuli claimed his absence was due to relocating to Kolkata to be with his parents during the COVID-19 pandemic and that the inquiry violated natural justice principles.
The bench, however, noted that Bakuli was given several opportunities to present his case during the disciplinary proceedings and that his unauthorized absence left the RBI with no option but to initiate disciplinary action. The court found no infirmity in the RBI's decision and upheld the compulsory retirement.