' MOAZZAM HAYAT (MEMBER).--- Appellant Ehsan-un-Haq Adil was a Cashier in the service of Habib Bank of Pakistan. He was dismissed from service vide order dated 21-9-2000 on the charge of embezzlement. His departmental appeal dated 14-10-2000 was rejected on 31-10-2000. It is prayed by him in his present appeal filed under Section 4 of the Service Tribunals Act, 1973 that the order of dismissal be set aside and he be reinstated into service.
2. The appeal is resisted by the respondents. It is stated that the appellant had admitted that he had embezzled an amount of Rs,6,000 therefore, he does not deserve any leniency.
3. The charge of embezzlement has been admitted by the appellant. The argument of his learned counsel is that penalty imposed upon him is very harsh and severe. According to the learned counsel the appellant had returned the embezzled amount within 13 days, therefore, he should have been shown compassion by the respondents. His prayer is that penalty imposed upon the appellant be reduced.
4. The learned counsel for the respondent-Bank has argued that the appellant had tarnished the image of Bank and had betrayed the confidence reposed in him, therefore, he does not deserve any lesser punishment.
5. Falling victim to the seductions of lucre has become a congenital weakness in our society. The appellant also became a victim of that disease. There are offences like pillaging, looting, marauding, murder and arson etc. But deadlier than all is making shambles of institutions. The appellant is guilty of tarnishing the image of a national financial institution. He, therefore, does not deserve reinstatement into service.
6. Since the appellant had frankly admitted his guilt before the Bank authorities, therefore, the order of dismissal from service passed against him is converted into his removal from service to enable him to earn his livelihood. With this modification in the impugned order the appeal is disposed of.
7. Parties be informed.