IN THE HON’BLE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT
ALLAHABAD
LIST OF DATES IN CHROLOGICAL ORDER
CIVIL MISC. WRIT PETITION NO. OF 2009
(Under Article
226 of the Constitution of India)
(District –Farrukhabad)
M/S Dhirpur Multi
Center, Mohammadabad, District Farrukhabad, through its proprietor , Shri
Bhagwan Baksh Singh son of Shri Abiran Singh, r/o Village and Post Dheerpur, Tehsil Sadar,
District Farrukhabad and another .
------------------Petitioners
Versus
Indian Oil Corporation,
Ltd through its General Manager, Indian
Oil Corporation Ltd. State Office, U.P-II,
Noida. And others ……………………………
Respondents
S.N.
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Dates
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Particulars of Case
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1
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16.5.1976
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Sri R.K.Girdhar , General Manager himself
admitted that dealership of petitioner was Commissioned in the year of 1976
(Vide LOI R/PNS/1621 dated 16/5/1976).The order dated 20.12.2007 has been
passed in pre-medicated manner on account of legal malice and legal malafide,
which smacks the capriciousness of power. This may be demonstrated in the
reply submitted by Dy. General Manager on 5.3.2007 to the under secretary to
the Govt. of India in furtherance of realization of excess amount of Rs.
1,98,433.00/- from petitioner as the price of round trip distance(RTD). Just
to avoid the liability of repayment of these extra charges from petitioner
out let from a duration of 1976 onwards, a false reply was submitted by sri
Rakesh Jaiswal Then Dy. General Manager in his reply/correspondence with
Govt. of India saying that the Retail out let of petitioner was commission in
1998, while in impugned order ,
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2
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16.8.2006
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There was persistent demand to replace the crack seal, (as per the
Inspection Report by the weight and measurement officer made on
19.6.2007) to have the other repairs
by tightening the sealing wire through holes of seals of DU-MS (of MIDCO
make) and HSD (of Avery Make) that there may not be even the apprehension
upon the mind of inspection team that totaliser could be manipulated without
breaking the seals, which is self contrary charge with earlier charge and
suspicion. The responsibility was lying upon his officials to replace the crack seal of one of the DUs –HSD (Of
Avery make), (as per the Inspection Report by the weight and measurement
officer made on 19.6.2007),
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3
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16.8.2006
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HSD-DU was connected to two
tanks of the supply of HSD-DU (20 kl &15Kl ) as they may not be related
with any irregularity in maintaining the supply of HSD-DU to the customers
and to do adulteration in any manner, which may be imposed to disconnect the supply and to terminate
the dealership. Subsequently these two tanks were disconnected by the Charge
man of the respondent’s dept., as per the instruction given by respondent no.
2, and as such, the said allegation can not become the basis of termination
of Dealership
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4
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16-8-2006.
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The maintenance department of Indian Oil Corporation inspected the
petitioners’ Dhirpur Multi Center filling station on 16-8-2006.
The aforesaid inspection was made by the Divisional Engineer and the
leakage was repaired by the charge
Man deployed for the aforesaid purpose. It is submitted that the
Divisional Engineer in furtherance of the aforesaid inspection blocked the
interconnection and accordingly sealed the same and submitted a
report indicating therein that the
place of the pump is satisfactory and correct
and acquit ant in its measurement
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5
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5-3-2007
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The petitioner made the request from the department to refund the
aforesaid amount. It was submitted that in case of making no return of the
said amount the petitioner may be compelled to submit a complaint to the
Divisional Manager. It is submitted that in spite the aforesaid complaints no
heed to the request of the petitioner was made by the Divisional Manager then
the petitioner approached to the Member of the Parliament Shri Chandra Bhushan
Singh elected from his own District Farrukhabad. It is submitted that Shri Chandra Bhushan
Singh raised the aforesaid question in the Parliament about the aforesaid
irregularity committed by the department.
The true copy of the letter issued to Shri Chandra Bhushan Singh,
Member of Parliament by the Ministry
of the State for Petroleum and
Natural Gas and the reply submitted by the General
Manager of the Indian Oil Corporation Ltd.
On 5-3-2007 to the under Secretary of Government of India, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas
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6
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24-5-2007
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It is alleged The inspection of the petitioners’ filling station
filling station took place at 1.00
p.m. on 24-5-2007 and the inspection team without giving
any opportunity of being heard to the proprietor /petitioners’ firm,
and, ,without looking the record available in the department in respect of
allegation leveled against the petitioner were fully lying with their own
department suggesting no dereliction and irregularities committed by the
petitioner, suspended the licence
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7
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19-6-2007
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The Weight and Measurement
Officer who is required to verify the
processing of the seal of high speed diesel and Weight and Measure seal as reported
on 19-6-2007 itself that the
high speed diesel Duary seal on
its meter was not tampered and in the said inspection there was no
tampering on with the read wire. It was also directed
to put a set on the machine and
nothing was found adverse which could
have been resultant in non-supply of the
high speed diesel and motor
spirit to the retail outlet by suspending the license.
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8
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21-6-2007
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There is no provision of conducting
the post-decisional haring in
the matter and the time prescribed for issuance of the suspension
order to submit the reply in
furtherance of the post decision suspension order dt.24.5.2007 notice issued
on 12.6.2007. However, after lapse of
more than 20 days a post decision suspension order
dt.24.5.2007 notice issued on 12-6-2007 which was duly replied by the petitioner on 21-6-2007.
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9
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19-7-2007
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The petitioner
submitted his reminder on 19-7-2007 and 2-8-2007, wherein the
petitioner categorically submitted that about 11000 liter of the
high speed diesel amounting to Rs. 3.5 lacs and the Petrol in the quantity of 3,500 liter amounting to Rs.
4,400 and mobile oil amounting to Rs. 2 lacs has been sealed apart
from depositing of Rs. 2,30,000/- with
the depot. It was stated that the
petitioner firm is suffering the loss of Rs. 9 lacs as the aforesaid amount
has been blocked on account of the impugned order.
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10
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6-12-2007
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Feeling aggrieved by the issuance of the suspension order the
petitioner filed a writ petition n. 42692 of 2007. It is submitted that this Hon’ble Court was pleased to pass
the order on 6-12-2007
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11
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20-12-07
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It was brought before this Hon’ble Court first time by filing a supplementary affidavit being sworn by
the clerk of the counsel appearing in the matter on behalf of the Indian Oil
Corporation it was stated that there
has been the termination of the dealership of the petitioner on 20-12-2007.The
onus was shifted upon the respondent to record a finding regarding the
veracity of the truthful meant of the
contents of the inspection report dated 24-5-2007 and the contents of the post
decision suspension order dt.24.5.2007 notice dated 12-6-2007 in the impugned
termination of the dealership of the petitioners retail outlet’s order dated
20-12-2007 which has not been done in the impugned order saying that the
report dated19.6.2007 as an after thought by the petitioner.
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12
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27 .8.2008
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An application seeking withdrawal of the amendment application subject
to the liberty granted to the petitioners to challenge of termination passed
on 20-12-2007 has been filed by the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 42692 of
2007.
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13
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10.9.2008
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The petitioners filed the writ petition no. 47182 of 2008, in which
the direction issued to petitioner to approach the Appellate authority, and
on ground of alternative remedy, writ petition was dismissed.
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14
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1.10..2008
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The petitioners filed the departmental appeal by taken all such ground
in compliance of the Judgement dated 10.9.2008 and the direction given in
writ petition no. 47182 of 2008, the departmental appeal preferred to the
Executive Director Of Indian Oil Corporation has not been Decided, even after
completion of maximum time limit of 90 days prescribed under Clause 6.3.5 of
the Marketing Discipline Guidelines
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15
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13. 11.2008
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The petitioners through his representative went to the office of the
appellate authority on 13.11.2008 at G-9 , Ali yavar Jung Marg, Bandra East,
Mumbai, but it was told that the decision in the appeal filed by the
petitioners shall be taken within 90
days and the appeal shall be decided after receiving the comments from the
office of the respondent no. 1 and 2.
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16
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2.1.2009
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The appellate authority has stated on the
subsequent visit on 2.1.2009, that the fault is attributable on the part of
the respondent no. 1, the decision shall be communicated in this regard from
the union of India and as such the petitioner may approach to the Secretary,
Petroleum and Natural Gas Department, Government of India, New Delhi of the
Union of India.
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17
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10. 1. 2009
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It was only on 10. 1. 2009 that the petitioner came to know that the
contractor for dismantle of retail out let has already being deployed on 6.
10. 2008. The true copy of letter dated 6.10.2008, copy of which is supplied
to the petitioner on 10.1 2009. It is Submitted that about 11000 liter of the high speed
diesel amounting to Rs. 3.5 Lacks and the Petrol in the quantity of 3,500 liter
amounting to Rs. 1,4 4,000/- and
mobile oil amounting to Rs. 2 Lacks has been sealed apart from depositing of
Rs. 2,30,000/- with the depot,
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18
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16.1.2009
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A representation has been send to the union of
India on 16.1.2009 Containing all such facts for the redressal of the
grievances raised in this regard and it has been submitted that the order
passed on 20.12.2007 may kindly be set aside and the directions may be
issued to maintain the supply, as the
order of termination of dealership is based upon the malafide intention of
the respondent No. 1.
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19
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16.1.2009
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All the charges leveled against the petitioners
were totally baseless and having no corroborating evidence in support of the
aforesaid charges as the petitioner demonstrated that subsequent to the
aforesaid inspection , if the officials of the W &M department have
recorded the inconsistent finding to the charges leveled against the
petitioners , the onus was shifted upon the respondent to record a finding
regarding the veracity of the truthful
meant of the contents of the inspection report dated 24-5-2007 and the
contents of the show cause notice dated 12-6-2007 in the impugned termination
of the dealership of the petitioners retail outlet’s order dated 20-12-2007
which has not been done in the impugned order.
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20
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3.2.2009
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That in the writ petition No. 5878/2009, the petitioners were challenging the order
given to the contractor for dismantle of retail out let has already being
deployed on 6.10.2008 and order dated 10.1.2009 passed during pendency of
departmental appeal against the order dated 20.12.2007(Annexure No.10 )as per
order in Writ petition No. 47182 of 2008.
It is submitted that the departmental
appeal preferred to the Executive Director Of Indian Oil Corporation was not
been decided by that time, even after completion of maximum time limit of 90
days prescribed under Clause 6.3.5 of the Marketing Discipline Guidelines.
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21
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9.2.2009
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That the harassment was done
subsequent to the aforesaid action by making and intimation from the office
of the Marketing Division of the Indian Oil Corporation from its Mumbai
Office situated at G-9, Ali Yavar Jung Marg, Bandra on 09.02.2009 directing
the petitioner to appear at 2nd Floor of World Trade Centre, Baber
Road, New Delhi on 20.02.2009.
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22
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21.2.2009
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That subsequently in the letter received on
21.02.2009, the intimation of the change date has been communicated to the
petitioner at the address of the retail outlet but by that time the
petitioner along with his counsel had already left for appearing at World
Trade Centre, Baber Road, New Delhi along with the member of the parliament
Sri Chandra Bhushan Singh (M.P.) from District Farrukhabad for demonstrating
the malafide intention of the respondent no. 1 in passing the order of termination of the dealership.
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23
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22.5.2009
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That the petitioner received another letter
having the date for his presence before the appellate authority dated
22.5.2009 fixing 3.6.2009 as the date fixed much after the expiry of time
period of 90 days, as prescribed as outer limit for deciding the appeal
preferred by the petitioner on 1.10.2008, as per the request made by the counsel
for the respondent No. 1,2, to this writ petition.
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24
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27.6.2009
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The petitioners were informed that there will be
further inspection on 27.6.2009 and the intimation to this effect was given
by Mr. Kukreja on the mobile of the dealer on 24.6.2009. There after the
photocopies of the register maintain at the retail out let were taken by
Rahul Jaidrath posted as ARMS Agra
along with two other officers, as nothing was found to established the
tempering of the W.M. SEAL of DUs –HSD
(of AVERY MAKE) or in the sealing wire passed through holes even on
27.6.2009.These officers after the aforesaid inspection have assured the
petitioner No. 2, but directed to meet Mr. Kukreja and Shri H.S. Bedi . It is
submitted that there after the demand of an exorbitant money was made to
resume the supply, when ever the petitioners approached to the regional
office at Agra. The petitioners could not offer any bribe and lastly as a
repercussion of it, their appeal has been dismissed.
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25
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21.7.2009
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The order of appellate authority is perverse,
obsolete and malafide, which has been passed contrary to the evidences on
record and in excess of the power vested with appellate authority. Admittedly
the termination order was passed without issuance of any Show Cause Notice
and there was any Show Cause Notice
ever issued by GM, UPSOIL dated 09.10. 2007, as there is even the mention
regarding the service of the said notice in the termination order at any
point of time and the same is in violation of the principles of Natural
Justice. The appellate authority can not step in side the jurisdiction of the
punishment authority. (AIR 1995 SC1053 Surjit Ghosh Versus Chairman &
managing Director United Commercial Bank) The petitioner has stated that the
inspection of the retail outlet was not done in presence of dealer, nor in
presence of his representative, but the inspection, which was not done by any
Grade C Divisional level officers and the members of Weight and Measurement
Department by the Joint Inspection Team as per the requirement of 4.3 MDG
2005 and there has been the false accusation of regarding tempering of meter
assembly seal , nor its wire was manipulated. That the penal action may only
be taken, when the totaliser seals found tempered with as per MDG 2005 and
not broken/ cracked.
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26
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3.8.2009
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That
on account of this inadvertent mistake and ignorance, the counsel for the
petitioner could not remain present at the time of taken up the matter and as
such the writ petition No. 5878/2009
has been dismissed due to the inadvertent mistake of counsel for not being
informed regarding the transfer of listed matter of court no. 2 to court no.
32 on 3. 8. 2009. The proposed amendment and the application for recall of
the said order passed on 3.8. 2009 was prepared on 24.8.2009 and 27.8.2009
respectively duly supported with the
affidavit, but the same were not filed on account of the fact that certain
observation in the writ petition No. 5878/2009 has been made on account of the fact of
deciding the appeal by appellate authority.
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Dated- 10.9.2009 (YOGESH KUMAR SAXENA)
ADVOCATE HIGH COURT
( Counsel
for the Petitioner)
Chamber No. 139, High Court, Allahabad
IN
THE HON’BLE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT ALLAHABAD
CIVIL MISC.
STAY APPLICATION NO.
Of 2009
(U/S 151 C.P.C read With Chapter XXII Rule 1
Of Allahabad High Court Rules, 1952)
CIVIL MISC. WRIT PETITION NO. OF 2009
(Under Article 226 of the Constitution of India)
(District –Farrukhabad)
1. M/S
Dhirpur Multi Center, Mohammadabad, District Farrukhabad, through its
proprietor , Shri Bhagwan Baksh Singh son of Shri Abiran Singh, r/o Village and Post Dheerpur, Tehsil Sadar,
District Farrukhabad.
2. Shri
Bhagwan Baksh Singh son of Shri Abiran Singh, proprietor, M/S Dhirpur Multi
Center, Mohammadabad, District Farrukhabad,R/o
Village and Post Dheerpur, Tehsil Sadar, District Farrukhabad. ….. Petitioners
Versus
1. Indian
Oil Corporation Ltd through its General
Manager, Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. State Office, U.P-II, Noida.
2. Sales
Manager, Marketing Division, Indian Oil Corporation Ltd., Agra Division, Agra.
3. Executive Director(RS) Indian Oil
corporation Limited , G-9, Ali yuvar Jung Marg, Bandra ( East), Mimbai- 400
051 ….. Respondents
To.
The
Hon’ble the Chief Justice and his other companion Judges of the aforesaid
Court.
The humble
writ petition of the above-named petitioner most respectfully showed as under:
-
1.
That the
full facts and circumstances of the case have been submitted in the writ
petition, it is expedient in the interest of justice that this Hon’ble Court may graciously be pleased to stay the
operation of the impugned orders having of termination of dealership of the
petitioner passed on 21.7.2009(Annexure No.20 ) having affirmation of order of termination of
dealership of the petitioner’s retail outlet
and order dated 20.12.2007(Annexure
No.10 ) and the respondents may be directed to maintain the regular supply of HSD and MS and other
lubricants to the petitioner, as justice may be done with the right of
petitioner.
PRAYER
It is, therefore, most respectfully prayed that
Hon’ble Court may graciously be pleased to stay the operation of the impugned
order 21.7.2009 (Annexure No.20) having affirmation
of the order of termination of dealership of the petitioner’s retail
outlet and order dated 20.12.2007(Annexure No. 10), termination
of dealership of the petitioner and the respondents may be directed to maintain
the regular supply of HSD and MS and other lubricants to the petitioner, as
justice may be done with the right of petitioner.
Dated- 10.9.2009 (YOGESH
KUMAR SAXENA) Advocate
( Counsel
for the Petitioner)
Chamber No. 139, High Court, Allahabad
IN THE
HON’BLE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT ALLAHABAD
CIVIL
MISC. WRIT PETITION NO.
OF 2009
(Under Article 226 of the
Constitution of India)
(District –Farrukhabad)
1. M/S
Dhirpur Multi Center, Mohammadabad, District Farrukhabad, through its
proprietor , Shri Bhagwan Baksh Singh son of Shri Abiran Singh, r/o Village and Post Dheerpur, Tehsil Sadar,
District Farrukhabad.
2. Shri
Bhagwan Baksh Singh son of Shri Abiran Singh, , proprietor, M/S Dhirpur Multi
Center, Mohammadabad, District Farrukhabad, R/o
Village and Post Dheerpur, Tehsil Sadar, District Farrukhabad. ….. Petitioners
Versus
1. Indian
Oil Corporation Ltd through its General
Manager, Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. State Office, U.P-II, Noida.
2. Sales
Manager, Marketing Division, Indian Oil Corporation Ltd., Agra Division, Agra.
3. Executive Director(RS) Indian Oil
corporation Limited , G-9, Ali yuvar Jung Marg, Bandra ( East), Mimbai- 400
051 ….. Respondents
To.
The Hon’ble the Chief Justice and his other
companion Judges of the aforesaid Court.
The humble writ petition of the above-named
petitioner most respectfully showeth as under: -
1.
That this
is the first writ petition and no other writ petition has been filed or pending
against order dated 21.7.2009(Annexure No. 20), having affirmation of the order having
affirmation of order of termination of dealership of the petitioner’s retail
outlet and order dated 20.12.2007(Annexure No.10), termination
of dealership of the petitioner, and the respondents may be directed to
maintain the regular supply of HSD and MS and other lubricants to the
petitioner, challenged in the present writ petition. The petitioners have not
received any caveat application.
2.
That by
means of the present writ petition the petitioners are challenging the the
impugned orders having of termination of dealership of the petitioner by the
orders passed on 27.7.2009 (Annexure No.20 )
having affirmation of order dated 20.12.2007(Annexure No.10) passed by
appellate authority even after
completion of maximum time limit of 90 days prescribed under Clause 6.3.5 of
the Marketing Discipline Guidelines and the respondents may be directed to
maintain the regular supply of HSD and
MS as the penal action may only be taken, when the totaliser seals found
tempered with as per MDG 2005 and not broken/ cracked, as justice may be done
with the right of petitioner.
3.
That the
petitioner No. 1 and the petitioner No. 2 are the same person. Both of them are
impleaded in Juristic capacity as well as in personal capacity, as the
submission made in support of writ petition may be enumerated in consonance
with requirement to assail the impugned order on its merit to demonstrate the
malafide intention. There has been the violation of principle of natural justice
causing prejudices in passing the pre medicated order dated 20.12.2007.
4.
That fraud
and justice never dwell together as is being done by the respondent no. 1
otherwise, while passing the impugned order in pre-medicated manner on account
of legal malice and legal malafide, which smacks the capriciousness of power.
This may be demonstrated in the reply submitted by Dy. General Manager on
5.3.2007 to the under secretary to the Govt. of India in furtherance of the
submission of realization of excess amount
of Rs. 1,98,433.00/- from petitioner as the price of round trip distance(RTD).
Just to avoid the liability of repayment of these extra charges from petitioner
out let from a duration of 1976 onwards, a false reply was submitted by Dy.
General Manager, in his reply/correspondence with Govt. of India saying that
the Retail out let of petitioner was commission in 1998, while in order dated
20.12.2007 , General Manager, himself admitted that dealership of petitioner
was Commissioned in the year of 1976 (Vide LOI R/PNS/1621 dated 16/5/1976).
5.
That It is
submitted that when some retail outlet continued to remain at a distance of 440
Kms. From the date of its installation and commission thereafter in 1998 upto
2003, instead of saying that a license was
issued to the petitioner and it was commissioned in the year of 1976(Vide LOI R/PNS/1621 dated
16/5/1976) that how the destination of Mohammadabad does
would have been re-certified and is being reduced to 397 Kms. In 2003. There
was another discrepancy in the reply made to the Under Secretary to the
Government of India in the said report that the dealers commission does not
depends on the RSP of the product and the effect of higher RT cane (round trip
kilometer) in the price is taken care by the higher RSP fixed for the location,
but it does not have any effect in the dealer’s commission received by the
dealer.
6.
That instead of making any refund of the excess
charges realized by having the effect directly due to the higher billing
prices, the matter was subsided by saying that the same has the direct bearing
in RSP of the location. The explanation given in this regard to the quarry made
by the Member of Parliament has the direct bearing on the issuance of the order
of termination of the dealership of the petitioner’s retail outlet. Thus there
has been a legal malice lying in the functioning of the respondent no.1 in due
discharge of its liability and as such the orders passed on 20-12-2007 and 21.7.2009
terminating the dealership of the petitioners has been passed with the malafide
intention which smacks the capriciousness of discretionary power by
transgression of the statutory functioning assigned to the respondents in
furtherance of the power given to them by the Legislation the orders dated 20.12.2007 and 21.12.2009 are liable to be set aside.
7.
That as such a false reply was submitted to
the Union of India, the matter pertaining to their functioning conducted in
realization of the excess money of Rs. 1,98,433.00/- from petitioner as the
price of round trip distance(RTD) was enquired by the member of parliament from
govt. of India and thus passing of impugned order is contrary to its objectives
and passed with oblique motive and extraneous consideration.
8.
That Indian Oil corporation is a Govt. Company
having its financial and administrative Control of the Govt. Of India and Union
of India has the pervasive control upon the functioning of the Respondents and
as such it is an instrumentality of the state under Article 12of Constitution
of India.
9.
That the
factum matrix pertaining to the controversy involved is
submitted hereinafter that the petitioner is
an authorized dealer of Indian Oil Corporation for supply and seal of
high speed diesel and motor spirit
(Petrol) and other lubricants as per the terms and condition of the
agreement executed between the parties
in pursuance thereof, a license was issued to the petitioner in the year of
1976(Vide LOI R/PNS/1621 dated 16/5/1976) and from such a long time the petitioners’ firm namely Dhirpur Multi Center situated at Mohammadabad, District
Farrukhabad was conducting its
business of sell of high speed
diesel motor Spirit and other lubricants supplied to the petitioners on the basis of
his authorized dealership given by
Indian Oil Corporation without any
complaint from any member of the
public.
10. That the maintenance department of Indian Oil
Corporation inspected the petitioners’ Dhirpur Multi Center filling station on
16-8-2006. The aforesaid inspection was made by the Divisional Engineer and the
leakage was repaired by the charge Man
deployed for the aforesaid purpose. It is submitted that the Divisional Engineer
in furtherance of the aforesaid
inspection blocked the interconnection
and accordingly sealed the same
and submitted a report indicating therein
that the place of the pump
is satisfactory and correct
and accurate in its
measurement. The copy of the
report which was forwarded to the department after the inspection of the
Divisional Engineer on 16-8-2006 is being filed herewith and marked as Annexure no.1 to this writ
petition.
11. That the filling station of the petitioner is
situated at a distance of 210 Kms. From Agra and the total distance
of both the sides from Agra to
Mohammadabad is about 420 Kms. The petitioner was asked to deposit the details
of the distance calculating 440 Kms. on both the sides. Since the aforesaid calculation of the
department was a wrong calculation and
the charges were being made by
calculating the wrong distance since
1997 from the petitioner and in this
process according to the calculation made by the petitioner, he
had deposited excess money of Rs. 1,98, 435/- to the department.
12. That the petitioner made the request from the
department to refund the aforesaid amount. It was submitted that in case of
making no return of the said amount the petitioner may be compelled to submit a
complaint to the Divisional Manager. It is submitted that in spite the
aforesaid complaints no heed to the request of the petitioner was made by the
Divisional Manager then the petitioner approached to the Member of the
Parliament Shri Chandra Bhushan Singh
elected from his own District
Farrukhabad. The true copy of reply submitted by the General Manager of the
Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. on 5-3-2007
to the under Secretary of Government of India, Ministry of Petroleum and
Natural Gas is being filed herewith and marked as Annexure no. 2 to this writ petition.
13. That it is submitted that Shri Chandra Bhushan
Singh raised the aforesaid question in the Parliament about the aforesaid
irregularity committed by the department.
The true copy of the letter dated 26.4.2007 issued to Shri Chandra
Bhushan Singh, Member of Parliament is being filed herewith and marked as Annexure 3 to this writ
petition.
14. That on account of the aforesaid matter being
highlighted, the respondent no.1 became annoyed with the petitioner. The
respondents constituted a committee of three members namely Rajesh Sharma,
AMRS, Rahul Jaidrath AMRS Agra and one of its members as Pankaj Kumar, who were
not competent to make the inspection according to the Marketing guidelines of
2005.
15. That it appears the inspection of the petitioners’
filling station filling station took
place at 1.00 p.m. on 24-5-2007 and the inspection team without giving
any opportunity of being heard to the proprietor /petitioners’ firm,
and, ,without looking the record available in the department in respect of
allegation leveled against the petitioner were fully lying with their own
department suggesting no dereliction and irregularities committed by the petitioner, suspended
the license immediately there after on 24-5-2007 itself. A true copy of the suspension order passed on
24-5-2007 is being filed herewith and marked as Annexure no.4 to this writ petition.
16. That according
to the guidelines enumerated in
the relevant provision in Chapter
5 the inspection of the retail outlet
can only be done by the field
officer in ‘C’ grade and above in the Divisional /Territory /Regional
/office within the jurisdiction
once in a year under the random inspection.
There was no power conferred upon the respondent no.2 to constitute the
committee comprising of the three members, all of them were not the officer in
the ‘C’ grade in the divisional level. The
guidelines enumerated in the relevant provision in Chapter 5 the inspection of the retail
outlet can only be done by the field officer in ‘C’ grade and
above in the Divisional /Territory /Regional /office within the jurisdiction once in a year
under the random inspection are
being filed herewith and marked as Annexure
no. 5 to this writ petition.
17. That the Joint
team empowered to make the inspection is only empowered to do so on the direction of the Ministry on behalf of the Union of India or by the
management of the Oil companies , but no
such power has been conferred as per the regulation 5.2 of
Chapter 5 of the Marketing
Discipline Guidelines , 2005 and as such
the order of suspension passed on
24-5-2007and the subsequent impugned order are in itself illegal and void.
18. That the adulteration is defined under the
provisions of 6.1.1 of Chapter 5 of the aforesaid guidelines which could have
been the ground for the suspension of the license and there after termination
of dealership. But no such ground has
been taken while passing the suspension order on 24-5-2007 and as such the
issuance of the suspension order was beyond the scope and purview of the power
conferred in the aforesaid guidelines.
19. That the
other ground which was taken was
in respect of the application of
Rule 8 of U.P. High Speed Diesel
Oil and light diesel oil (Maintenance
of supply and Distribution) Order 1981, wherein the period of the
suspension is prescribed and the requirement of providing
an opportunity of being heard is
contemplated as the condition
precedent prior to issuance of the suspension order pending
inquiry, which was already lapsed, while passing the termination order without
application of independent mind by the respondent no. 1 to the reply submitted
by petitioner on 21.6.2007 .
20. That even
the guidelines prescribed in sub
clause III in the booklet of the Indian Oil Corporation effective w. e. f. 1st August,
2005 till the date of issuance of the suspension order does not
empowered for taking
the penal action without obtaining
the explanation from the dealer.
It is provided that the time stipulated in the show cause is for getting the
reply received from the owner of the retail outlet and if the answer is
received unsatisfactorily then only the penal action of suspending the license
by issuance of the suspension order could have been passed by the competent
authority.
21. That the
Weight and Measurement Officer who is required to verify the processing of the seal of
high speed diesel and Weight and
Measure seal as reported on 19-6-2007 itself that the high speed diesel -DUs seal on its meter was not tampered and in the said inspection there was no
tampering on with the read wire. It was also directed to
put a set on the machine and nothing was found adverse which could have been
resultant in non-supply of the high speed diesel and motor spirit to the retail
outlet by suspending the license. The
true copy of the report of the Weight and Measurement Officer dated 19-6-2007
is being filed herewith and marked as Annexure
no.6 to this writ petition.
22. That there is no provision of conducting the
post-decisional haring in the matter and the time prescribed for issuance of
the suspension order to submit the reply in furtherance of has not
been done. However, after lapse of more
than 20 days a notice has been issued
on 12-6-2007 which was duly replied by the petitioner on 21-6-2007. The true
copy of the notice dated 12-6-2007 and the reply submitted by the petitioner on
21-6-2007 are being filed herewith and marked as Annexure no.7 and 8 to this writ petition.
23. That the petitioner
submitted his reminder on 19-7-2007 and 2-8-2007, wherein the
petitioner categorically submitted that about 11000 liter of the high
speed diesel amounting to Rs. 3.5 Lacs and the Petrol in the quantity of 3,500 liter amounting to Rs. 1,4 4,000/- and mobile oil amounting
to Rs. 2 Lacks has been sealed apart from depositing of Rs. 2,30,000/- with
the depot. It was stated that the
petitioner firm is suffering the loss of Rs. 9 lacks as the aforesaid amount
has been blocked on account of the impugned order.
24. That the petitioner had already requested for making the supply of the seal from the headquarter as he may take the sample
from the tanker at the time of its arrival which may bear the signature of the driver , however, no
heed was provided to the aforesaid
request made from the headquarter nor the inspection team has taken note into their account before taking the sample
from the retail outlet of the petitioner.
25. That the job assigned to the inspection team was
only confined to submit its report and they were not empowered to take the
final decision in the matter for suspending the license. It is the basic
elementary principles that the inspecting team cannot
become the judge in its own cost as no one may become the judge to adjudicate the matter
placed by the same authority
or he may take action on its
suo motto motion . Thus the power exercised by the inspecting team
in suspending the license was
contrary to the object sought to be achieved and there was
extraneous reason with oblique motive
which demonstrate the malafide intention
of respondent no.1 and 2 and as such the termination order has been
passed wholly without jurisdiction and the same was void ab initio.
26. That as per the application of the provision with a
particular reference to Rule 8 of the U.P. High Speed Diesel Oil and Light
Diesel Oil (Maintenance of Supply and
Distribution ) Order, 1981 is concern it
was only stated that the order of suspension was not passed by the licensing authority but
by the corporation authority as per the provision contemplated in the Marketing Discipline
Guidelines of 2005.
27. That feeling aggrieved by the issuance of the
suspension order the petitioner filed a writ petition n. 42692 of 2007. It is
submitted that this Hon’ble Court was pleased to pass the order on 6-12-2007.
The true copy of the order passed on 6-12-2007 is being filed herewith and
marked as Annexure no. 9 to
this writ petition.
28. That the evasive reply was submitted by the contesting
respondents in their counter affidavit filed in the writ petition no. 42692 of
2007 filed against the issuance of the
suspension order on 24-5-2007, which is pending.
29. That it was brought before this Hon’ble Court first
time by filing a supplementary affidavit being sworn by the clerk of the
counsel appearing in the matter on behalf of the Indian Oil Corporation it was
stated that there has been the termination of the dealership of the petitioner
on 20-12-2007 stating and falsely writing therein the order has been served under postal
certificate. The true copy of the impugned order passed on 20-12-2007 is being
filed herewith and marked as Annexure
no.10 to this writ petition.
30. That at the very out set , it is submitted that the
petitioners did not get even the whisper of the order passed by the respondent
no. 1 on 20.12.2007, nor the said order was ever posted through registered post
or any other post as alleged in the order annexed by stating the fact that it
was sent under postal certificate. The order of termination of license has not
been communicated in the manner prescribed under Law. Thus the termination of
dealership order is illegal and passed with legal malice.
31. That neither any show cause notice was issued, nor
any opportunity of hearing was provided to the petitioners prior to passing of
the order dated 20. 12. 2007. It is not mentioned in the order that any show
cause notice was issued prior to passing of such order and as such the order is
passed in violation of the principle of natural justice entailing the said
order as void ab initio.
32. That a bizarre exercise of acquiring the power to
dispense with the supply of the High Speed diesel/ motor spirit to the retail
out let of the petitioner without any justification and account of grudge for
raising the dispute before the parliament and as the principle of the natural
justice has been violated as such the same entailing the said order as void ab
initio.
33. That an application seeking withdrawal of the amendment
application subject to the liberty granted to the petitioners to challenge of
termination passed on 20-12-2007 has been filed by the petitioner. The Hon’ble
court has been pleased to grant the permission to withdraw the proposed
Amendment Application with the liberty to file a fresh writ Petition. The true
copy of the order passed by this Hon’ble Court on 27 .8.2008 is ANNEXURE NO. 11 to this writ
petition.
34. That there after the petitioners filed the writ
petition no. 47182 of 2008. It is submitted that despite the direction given in writ petition
no. 47182 of 2008 to avail alternative remedy and dismissal of the said writ
petition on the ground of alternative remedy, even after completion of maximum
time limit of 90 days prescribed under Clause 6.3.5 of the Marketing Discipline
Guidelines enforceable w. e. f. 1st August,2005, in order to
demonstrate the illegality, violation of the principle of Natural Justice
and malafide intention of respondents in
passing the un-served premeditated order of termination dated 20.12.2007 and
order of dismantle of retail out let subsequently passed after the judgement
dated 10.9.2008. The true copy of the
judgment dated 10.9.2008 is filed herewith and marked as Annexure no.12 to this writ petition.
35. That by the bare perusal of the correspondence made by the respondent no.1 in its order
dated 24-5-2007, it is submitted that the inspection report conducted on
19-6-2007 having the request for inspection of the petitioners retail outlet in
furtherance of the application dated 15-6-2007 by the team comprising of the
members of the Measurement Department,
discloses the facts contrary to the allegation leveled against the
petitioner in respect of the contents of
the order dated 24-5-2007 as on 19-6-2007 by the team comprising of the
officials of Weight and Measurement Department has clearly recorded that the weight measurement seal of HLD( D. V. meter assembly) has not been
found tampered , but there was the mark
of crack on the said seal, which could have been done on account of the
variation of the temperature in the open exposure to the sun light and the rainy water because the machine
is installed without any shed upon the said retail outlet.
36. That the inspection team on 19-6-2007 found that
tampering has not been done with the seal and the wire inside there and it was
recommended to get the replacement of the seal as it may be broken in two
pieces by the efflux of time. It has also been recommended that in order to
avoid any untoward incident regarding the alleged detection of the irregularity
on account of the crack in the seal and looseness of the wire, the
recommendations for having a permanent shed upon the retail outlet is required.
37. That it has been categorically recorded that there
has not been any tampering with the totalizer. This is the contents of the
inspection report being conducted on 19-6-2007 which was not taken into
consideration, while passing order on 20.12.2007. Thus the order passed on
20.12. 2007, which is the basis of the termination of the dealership of the
retail outlet of the petitioner, is in itself based on the inconsistent finding
regarding the discrepancy observed in the order. Thus the order passed on 20.12.2007 of termination of
dealership is based upon the false and baseless allegations which are
inconsistent with the evidence submitted by the petitioner in respect of the
contents of the report submitted by another inspection team on 19-6-2007
itself.
38. That the petitioner in furtherance of the notice
issued on 12-6-2007 had submitted on 21-6-2007 that the allegation leveled in
para 1 regarding one every make (HSD-DU) was found connected to two tanks (one
20 Kl. And 15 Kl. ) with the help of two walls fitted on the top of the
tanks. In reply to the aforesaid charge
the petitioner made the categorical deny in his letter that the charge man of
the respondent department was disconnected the aforesaid interconnection and
the landline was cut down and as such there was no question of having the
interconnection between the two tanks (one of 20 Kl. And another of 15 Kl.
), for which the allegation of the irregularity
was reported by the aforesaid team during the inspection made on 24-5-2007 and
the charges leveled in the notice issued on 12-6-2007.
39. That as per the allegation leveled in the
suspension order dated 24-5-2007 and in the show cause notice dated 12-6-2007
having the charge leveled therein that W & M seals of HSD-DU every make on
meter assembly found broken, for which the reply was given that the same was
not broken but there had been the crack upon the aforesaid seal, which was
sought to be replaced by the department on the persistent request made by the
petitioner in this regard.
40. That It is submitted that if W& M seal of
HSD-DU every make on meter assembly was found broken how does in the inspection
made on 19-6-2007 only crack could have been found by the officials of the
Weight and Measurement Department. Thus the allegation leveled in furtherance
of the charge no. II recorded in the suspension order dated 24-5-2007 and in
the show cause notice dated 12-6-2007 was based on the false allegation which
is in itself contradictory as per the report submitted by the inspection team
of the Weight and Measurement Department on 19-6-2007.
41. That charge leveled that one HSD-DU was connected
to two tanks of the supply of HSD-DU (20 Kl &15Kl ) may not be related with
any irregularity in maintaining the supply of HSD-DU to the customers and to do
adulteration in any manner, which may be imposed after disconnection of the supply and to terminate the dealership of
the petitioner No. 1 as the supply in two tanks is of the same commodity and if
the two tanks were found Inter connected as per the instructions issued earlier
by the official of the respondent No. 1 and 2, but subsequently these two tanks
were disconnected by the Charge man of the respondent’s dept., as per the
instruction given by respondent no. 2, and as such, the said allegation can not
become the basis of termination of Dealership of the petitioner No. 1, as the
said charge is based on no evidence and
perverse finding.
42. That in reply to the charge no. 3 leveled against
the petitioner that the totalize seals of MS & HSD-DUs were not proper. The
said charge was incorrect as there was the proper seal on the machine as per
the report dated19.6.2007 of the Weight and Measurement Department which was annexed
along with the reply submitted to the respondent no.2 on 21-6-2007.
43. That in reply to the charge no. 4 regarding
non-observation of the retention samples of MS & HSD which was not found
available as per the contents written in the suspension order passed on
24-5-2007 and in the notice dated 12-6-2007, the categorical reply was made
that the vacuolar sample were retain at the retail outlet but since there was
no seal of the company available as the company seal was not provided to the petitioners retail outlet,
when the earlier seal after previous inspection
were already seized to remain in existence. The demand for getting the
aforesaid seals was made on 13-5-2007, but the same were not made available to
the petitioner’s retail outlet. Thus the charge no.4 was not made out in
respect of the irregularity committed by the petitioner in furtherance of the
notice.
44. That in this manner all the charges leveled against
the petitioners were totally baseless and having no corroborating evidence in
support of the aforesaid charges as the petitioner demonstrated that subsequent
to the aforesaid inspection , if the officials of the W &M department have
recorded the inconsistent finding to the charges leveled against the
petitioners , the onus was shifted upon the respondent to record a finding
regarding the veracity of the truthful
meant of the contents of the inspection report dated 24-5-2007 and the contents
of the show cause notice dated 12-6-2007 in the impugned termination of the
dealership of the petitioners retail outlet’s order dated 20-12-2007 which has
not been done in the impugned order. Thus the impugned order has been passed in
a pre-medicated manner without assigning any cogent reason for having the
foundation of the impugned order.
45. That the malafide intention of the respondents No.
8 and 9 being the officials representing the corporation remained on account of
the fact that the General Manager was made accountable in furtherance of the
quarry made by Shri Chandra Bhushan Singh, Member of Parliament on the question
of making the refund of an amount of Rs. 1,98,433/- charged from the
petitioners’ outlet on account of the excess price to revision in round trip
distance.
46. That since
the order dated 20.12.2007, based upon ex-parte averments and allegation
leveled in suspension order, has been
issued without giving
any show cause notice by the competent authority and the products
are being costs to the petitioner
in due discharge of its functioning and thus since the suspension order passed on 24-5-2007 and
the impugned order are having the civil
consequences, the same could not
be passed without affording any
opportunity of being heard to the petitioner.
47. That the other
ground which are enumerated in
the aforesaid guidelines are in respect of the short delivery of the product with
regard to the weight and measures
seal intact and in case the
Weights and Measures seal is tampered then only any penal action would
have taken by the competent authority . Thus the issuance of the impugned order
on 20-12-2007 has been also beyond the jurisdiction of the respondent no. 1.
48. That the
dereliction in due discharge of observing the requirement pertaining to the
non-adulteration of the product and tampering of the seal is not recorded (as provided in the aforesaid guidelines), while suspending the
supply at the retail outlet of the petitioner and thereby terminating the dealership
and thus the order of the termination is challenged on the ground that it could not be passed on the false and baseless
allegation merely on the ground of suspicion in conducting the irregularity,
which was not based upon any complaint of the customer by the inspecting team, and was inspected without taking the approval of the same from the
competent authority.
49. That the order dated 20.12.2007 has been passed
without giving any opportunity of being heard, nor the reply submitted, in respect of query made,
has been taken into consideration. Thus passing of impugned order is in
violation of Principle of natural justice. The same is liable to set aside.
50. That the
Impugned order has been passed without application of mind and without even
seeing the report dated 19.6.2007 submitted by the department of weight and
measurement and as such the impugned order has been passed in an arbitrary
manner.
51. That passing of impugned order is contrary to its
objective and passed with ulterior motive and to take the revenge as the
petitioner has started demanding the refund of excess money and the question
was raised in parliament, which annoyed the respondent no. 8 and 9, thus
passing of impugned order is with legal malice and malafide intention.
52. That the petitioners filed the departmental appeal
by taken all such ground in compliance of the Judgement dated 10.9.2008 and the
direction given in writ petition no. 47182 of 2008, the departmental appeal
preferred to the Executive Director Of Indian Oil Corporation has not been
Decided, even after completion of maximum time limit of 90 days prescribed
under Clause 6.3.5 of the Marketing Discipline Guidelines enforceable w. e. f.
1st August,2005. Passed. The true copy of the memo of the said
appeal filed on 1.10..2008 is filed herewith and marked as Annexure no.13 to this writ petition.
53. That petitioners through his representative went to
the office of the appellate authority on 13.11.2008 at G-9 , Ali yavar Jung
Marg, Bandra East, Mumbai, but it was told that the decision in the appeal
filed by the petitioners shall be taken within 90 days and the appeal shall be
decided after receiving the comments from the office of the respondent no. 1
and 2. However the appellate authority has stated on the subsequent visit on
2.1.2009, that the fault is attributable on the part of the respondent no. 1,
the decision shall be communicated in this regard from the respondent and as
such the petitioner may approach to the Secretary, Petroleum and Natural Gas
Department, Government of India, New Delhi of the Union of India.
54. That the malice of the respondent is demonstrated
from the fact that the order dated 20.12.2007 was not even sent to the
petitioner and a note has been made that the same has been send under
certificate of posting in the hand writing of some one. It is submitted that
that the corporation equipment , stationary & other materials at the R.O
premises shall be taken over by our local field officer in the same order ,
which demonstrate the malafide intention of respondent no. 8 in passing the
said order. It was only on 10. 1. 2009 that the petitioner came to know that
the contractor for dismantle of retail out let has already being deployed on 6.
10. 2008. The true copy of letter dated 6.10.2008, copy of which is supplied to
the petitioner on 10.1 2009, is filed herewith and marked as Annexure no.14 to this writ
petition.
55. That the petitioner already submitted
that about 11000 liter of the high speed diesel amounting
to Rs. 3.5 Lacks and the Petrol
in the quantity of 3,500 liter amounting
to Rs. 1,4 4,000/- and mobile oil amounting to Rs. 2 Lacks has been
sealed apart from depositing of Rs. 2,30,000/- with the depot, but still the order for disposal of
the aforesaid commodities is not given prior to dismantle of the retail out let
has not been given by the respondent no. 1 in the impugned order passed on 6.
10. 2008.
56. That it is submitted that there after a
representation has been send to the union of India on 16.1.2009 Containing all
such facts for the redressal of the grievances raised in this regard and it has
been submitted that the order passed on 21.12.2007 may kindly be set aside and
the directions may be issued to
maintain the supply, as the order of termination of dealership is based upon
the malafide intention of the respondent No. 1. The true copy of representation
dated 16.1.2009 submitted to the union of India is filed herewith and marked as
Annexure no.15 to this writ
petition.
57. That the
petitioner is submitting the relevant extract of the Marketing Discipline Guidelines which have been made effective w. e. f. 1st
August 2005 by all the major public sector oil marketing companies. The relevant
extract of the aforesaid guidelines as enumerated in Chapter 2, 4 ,6 and
appendix A are being filed herewith and marked as Annexure no.16 to this writ petition.
58. That in order to provide the substance to the
argument on the point of malafide intention of the answering respondents it is
submitted that the mandatory requirement of making the inspection of the retail
outlet by the inspection team is in the
presence of the dealer or his representative after obtaining the signature of
the dealer, which has not been done. The suspension of the retail outlet
belonging the petitioners was immediately done in such unauthorized manner on
account of the fact that the questionnaire was raised by the member of the
Parliament in the regard to the excess realization of the payment of Rs.
198435/- from the dealer by calculating the wrong distance of the retail outlet
by the official of the Indian Oil Corporation and furnishing the incorrect
reply to the Government of India in furtherance of the said question raised
during zero hours in the proceedings of the parliament.
59. That the
provision of filing the department appeal and disposal of the same within the
out limit within a period of 90 days are transcribed as under –
6.3 (Notes) iii
– Every penal action would be taken only after a show cause notice is
issued and giving the dealer a minimum time of 7 days to submit his
explanation. If the dealer’s reply is not received within the time stipulated
in the show cause notice, or if the reply received is found to be
unsatisfactory, penal action as given in Appendix-I to be taken. No penal
action to be taken if the dealer’s explanation is found to be satisfactory.
iv. The
decision taken on action against the dealer based on the reply received from
him for the show cause notice has to be communicated to the dealer in writing
and this should be a speaking order. In the event of termination, the dealer,
within 30 days of the Order, will have the right to appeal before the
appropriate authority who will be empowered to decide in the matter. The appeal
must be disposed of within 90 days from the date of the appeal. The appropriate
authority to hear the appeals shall be by an office not below the rank of
Executive Director.
V. The cycle of calculating second and third
instance shall be five years starting from the date of first irregularity. In
other words, if an irregularity is established as on date, records of previous
5 year period from this date will be examined to determine whether the present
irregularity is the first, second or third instance of irregularity.
60. That the only charge, out of the four charges
leveled against the petitioners, for termination of this dealership is on
account of the fault not attributable on the part of the petitioners but
despite the demand for the replacement of the cracked weight and measure seal
which was found at the time of the alleged inspection on 24.5.2007 in
absence of mandatory requirement of
conducting such inspection, which could be done only in presence of dealer or his
representative; and also in presence of the official of the weight and measure
department; but the fault and negligence attributed on the part of the official
of the Indian Oil Corporation; and without doing any enquiry in the respect of
the said dereliction; as to whether the seal of weight and measurement of the
one of D Us-HSD ( of Avery make ) was actually observed to be the broken; or it
was having crack, the order of the termination of the dealership has been done
in the unauthorized manner. The provision of rectification of the defect in the
dispensing unit is provided in clause 4.3 of the chapter pertaining to the
maintenance of the company equipments at retail outlets.
61. That as per the guidelines the penal action of non
supply of the commodity after the inspection made on 24.7.2007 can not be done
without taking prior explanation from the dealer as per their own guide lines
6.3(notes iii) and as the notice was issued subsequently on 12.6.2007 the order
dated 24.5.2007 was illegal and void in itself.
62. That guide line prescribed the maximum limit of 90
days in deciding the appeal as per guidelines 6.3 (notes iv ), but despite the appeal filed on
1.10.2008 and the date was fixed on 9.2.2009 fixing 20.2.2009 and there after
19.2.2009 and on 22.5.2009 fixing 3.6.2009, but the departmental appeal is
decided on 21.7.2009 i.e after more than9
months, instead of mandatory maximum period of 3 months.
63. That there is no irregularity ever recorded in
maintenance of the retail out let by any authority and there was no complained
ever made since 1976 from the date of commission of retail out let and
guidelines 6.3 ( notes V ) prescribed that this fact shall be mention in the
order of punishment , but neither the punishing authority , nor appellate
authority have taken the note to this provision , while passing the order of
termination of dealership.
64. That the
petitioner is also quoting the provision pertaining to the prescribed
guidelines for making such inspection as contemplated in 2.4.3, 4.3, 4.2, 6.1 (b), 5.2, 6.1 & 6.4, which are reproduced as under –
2.4.3 Joint
Industry Team Members should collect samples from retail outlets irrespective
of results of indicative/suggestive tests like Marker/ Furfural test, density
test, stock variation filter paper etc. during joint inspections. These samples
should be sealed and labeled as per Annexure S-3 and jointly signed by the
dealer/his representative and the members of the Joint Industry Tema who are
drawing the samples.
4.3 RECTIFICATION OF DEFECTS IN DISPENSING
UNITS / PIPELINE / TANKS
a) In case the Weights & Measures seal
is found to be broken, the Company’s Maintenance Representative shall inform
the concerned Company Official for further action and incorporate the same in
the Pump maintenance Report, which should be duly singed by the dealer as well.
4.2.1.1
MAINTENANCE OF PUMPS AND OTHER EQUIPMENTS
a) While the Oil Company
shall attend to breakdown maintenance of the Dispensing Pumps and other
equipments belonging to the Oil Company, it shall be the responsibility of the
dealer to ensure that these equipments are handled in just and proper manner
and day to day upkeep are carried out. In case of any breakdown, the same shall
promptly be informed by the dealer to the Oil Company.
6.1 (b) Sales
and supplies of all products to be suspended immediately till such time
investigations are completed. Meter and dip readings should be recorded in the
Inspection Report duly signed by the Dealer or his representative together with
rubber stamp of dealership and each page of the inspection report shall be
initialed by Inspecting Officer and Dealer/Dealer’s representative. Dispensing
Pumps and Tanks should be sealed.
65. That Fraud is committed by the respondent no. 2 in
passing the impugned order, as the responsibility was lying upon his officials
to replace the crack seal of one of the
DUs –HSD (Of Avery make), (which is established as per the Inspection Report by
the weight and measurement officer made on 19.6.2007), as the said charge is
based on no evidence and perverse finding.
66. That the penal action may only be taken, when the
totaliser seals found tempered with as per MDG 2005. In the present case,
neither the inspection is being done in presence of the dealer or his
representative nor has the seal of the dealer been taken by the inspection team
in their report. The inspection was done by the team of three officers, who
were not empowered to have such inspection. It was done in absence of any
official of weight and measurement department. It has not been done in
furtherance of any complaint from the public, or by the officials of the
Government agencies. No irregularity was ever found by any official of the
Indian Oil Corporation since 1976, when the present retail out let has been
sanctioned.
67. That it is taken note of the fact that weight and
measure seal of the dispensing unit was not broken, but CRACKED & totaliser seals of another dispensing units were
in same, as they were put …….. Since
seals were out of stock with Indian Oil Corporation. There is no question
of saying that the said facts brought to the notice of department is an after
thought, and no reason has been assigned in the impugned order in this regard.
There is no finding recorded for arriving to the aforesaid conclusion. There is
not even the finding recorded, as to how and in what manner, the crack of totaliser
seal may be said to attract the penal action, when no complaint of irregularity
is made by department against the petitioner till date.
68. That there was persistent demand to replace the crack seal, (as per the
Inspection Report by the weight and measurement officer made on 19.6.2007) to have the other repairs by tightening the
sealing wire through holes of seals of DU-MS (of MIDCO make) and HSD (of Avery
Make) that there may not be even the apprehension upon the inspection in the
mind of inspection team that totalize could be manipulated without breaking the
seals, which is self contrary charge with earlier charge and suspension. It is
submitted that suspicion, whatsoever, it may be strong, but the same could not
become the basis of punishment. The sole
charge is based on no evidence and perverse finding.
69. That the allegation in respect of having no
retention samples of MS and HSD, the same were found at the retail out let of
the petitioner no. 1, but since the seal of the department were not affixed
upon them, due to non availability of such seals, in spite the demand of the
same by the petitioner from the dept. of the respondent’s company on 13.5.2007,
for which there is no denial in impugned order, the charge no. 4 is also based
upon no evidence and perverse finding.
70. That it appears that since an order was issued on
6.12.2007 in Writ Petition No. 42692 of
2007, filed by petitioner No. 2 against Suspension of the dealership of
petitioner directing the department to pass the final order within 2 weeks, and
as such the respondent no. 1 passed the impugned order without looking into
reply of the petitioner on 21.6.2007 (Already
filed as Annexure 5 to Writ
Petition No. 42692 of 2007, filed by petitioner No. 2 against Suspension of the
dealership of petitioner). Thus the impugned order of terminating the dealership
of petitioner is passed without any opportunity of hearing or being heard to
the petitioner no. 2, nor has the copy of the Impugned order been supplied to
the petitioner till date.
71. That the respondent
has not permitted to sale 11000
liter of the high speed diesel
amounting to Rs. 3.5 Lacks and
the Petrol in the quantity of 3,500
liter amounting to Rs. 1,4 4,000/- and
mobile oil amounting to Rs. 2 Lacks has been sealed apart from depositing of
Rs. 2,30,000/- with the depot, but still
the order for disposal of the aforesaid commodities is not given prior to
dismantle of the retail out let has not been given by the respondent no. 1 in
the impugned order passed on 6. 10. 2008. The threatening is given for
dismantle of the retail out let by the respondents.
72. That in the writ petition No. 5878/2009, the petitioners were challenging the order
given to the contractor for dismantle of retail out let has already being
deployed on 6.10.2008 and order dated 10.1.2009 passed during pendency of
departmental appeal against the order dated 20.12.2007(Annexure No. )as per
order in Writ petition No. 47182 of
2008 . It is submitted that the departmental appeal preferred to the
Executive Director Of Indian Oil Corporation was not been decided by that time,
even after completion of maximum time limit of 90 days prescribed under Clause
6.3.5 of the Marketing Discipline Guidelines. No counter affidavit was filed in
the writ petition No. 5878/2009 by any respondents.
73. That the following order was passed on the present writ
petition No. 5878/2009 which is being reproduced as under-
Hon. V. M. Sahai, J.
Hon. Ran Vijai Singh, J.
Heard
learned counsel for the petitioners learned standing counsel appearing for
respondents no. 3 and 4, and Shri P. Paida, learned counsel appearing for
respondents no. 1,2,5,6,7,8,9 and 10.
Three
weeks’ time is allowed to file counter affidavit. Rejoinder affidavit, if any,
may filed one week thereafter.
Until
further orders of this Court, the respondents are restrained from demolishing
or dismantling the petrol/diesel pump of the petitioner. Meanwhile, it shall be
open to the respondent no. 7 (represented by Additional Solicitor General of
India) to take decision in the matter of the petitioner.
3.2.2009 Sd/- Sri V.
M. Sahai, J. Sri Ran Vijai Singh, J.
74.
That since as per the directions given in the earlier writ petition no.
47182 of 2008, the appeal file by the petitioner on 1.10.2008 in furtherance
of the judgement dated 10.09.2008 passed
in the said writ petition, the same has not been decided even after the maximum
period of 90 days. However, an order for dismantling the retail outlet ordered
on 06.10.2008 and as such the writ petition No. 5878/2009 was filed for seeking
the protection against the arbitrary action of the respondents. No counter
affidavit was filed in the writ petition No. 5878/2009 by any respondents.
That an order was issued on 21.7.2009 by the executive director, the respondent
no.3, dismissing the appeal during the pendency of the present writ Petition
and as such an application seeking
proposed amendment in the writ petition No. 5878/2009 was prepared having the amendment/
incorporation of paragraphs no. 79 to 98 , grounds x to Aj and prayer No. V was
prepared on 24 .8.2009 for filing the same before this Hon’ble Court. The same
has not been filed in view of the order passed in the writ petition No. 5878/2009 on 3.8.2009.
75.
That
in order to prove the bonafide mistake of the counsel for not attending the
case of Writ Petition No. 5878/2009 on 3.8.2009, in which no counter affidavit
was filed. The copy of the Amendment application was served to the Counsel Sri
Prakash Padia, then it was informed that the list of the court No. 2 was
transferred on 3. 8. 2009 to the Hon’ble Court No. 32 on the said date and the
present writ petition has been dismissed in default on the said date. It is
Submitted that on enquiry, it has been revealed that Hon’ble Justice Krishna
Murari has been shown in court No. 32 as the Hon’ble Single Judge, but by the
order of the Hon’ble The Chief Justice, the Division Bench Presided over by
Hon’ble Mr. Justice Syed Rafat Alam and Hon’ble Justice Krishna Murari was
assigned with the Jurisdiction and on 3. 8. 2009 listed matter of Court No. 2
from Serial No. 30 onwards have been conferred with the jurisdiction of the
Division Bench, in absence of the information regarding the transfer of the
listed matter of court no. 2 to court no. 32 through his clerk, the writ
petition No. 5878/2009 was dismissed.
76.
That
the harassment was done subsequent to the aforesaid action by making and
intimation from the office of the Marketing Division of the Indian Oil
Corporation from its Mumbai Office situated at G-9, Ali Yavar Jung Marg, Bandra
on 09.02.2009 directing the petitioner to appear at 2nd Floor of
World Trade Centre, Baber Road, New Delhi on 20.02.2009. That when the
petitioner along with his counsel appeared before the World Trade Centre, Baber
Road, New Delhi, they were intimated by the General Manager of the Indian Oil
Corporation (Marketing Division, New Delhi) that the date was already changed
from 20.02.2009 to 19.02.2009 and the order/intimation of the aforesaid change
was given to the Sales Manager of the Indian Oil Corporation at Agra but he did
not intimated the correct date to the petitioner. The true copy of the order/intimation from the
office of the Marketing Division of the Indian Oil Corporation from its Mumbai
Office situated at G-9, Ali Yavar Jung Marg, Bandra on 09.02.2009 of the is filed herewith and marked as Annexure No.17.
77. That subsequently on 21.02.2009, the
intimation of the change date has been communicated to the petitioner at the
address of the retail outlet but by that time the petitioner along with his
counsel had already left for appearing at World Trade Centre, Baber Road, New
Delhi along with the member of the parliament Sri Chandra Bhushan Singh (M.P.)
from District Farrukhabad for demonstrating the malafide intention of the
respondent no. 1 in passing the order of
termination of the dealership. The true copy of the intimation from the
office of the Marketing Division of the Indian Oil Corporation from its Mumbai
Office situated at G-9, Ali Yavar Jung Marg, Bandra received on 21.02.2009 is filed herewith and marked as Annexure No.18.
78. That it has already been submitted that
there has been the stock of the huge quantity of the petroleum products about
11000 liter of the high speed diesel amounting to Rs. 3.5 Lacks and the Petrol
in the quantity of 3,500 liter amounting to Rs. 1,44,000/- and mobile oil
amounting to Rs. 2 Lacks has been sealed apart from depositing of Rs.
2,30,000/- with the depot, but still the order for disposal of the aforesaid
commodities is not given prior to dismantle of the retail out let has not been
given by the respondent no. 1 in the impugned order passed on 06.10.2008.
79. That the petitioner received another letter
having the date for his presence before the appellate authority dated 22.5.2009
fixing 3.6.2009 as the date fixed much after the expiry of time period of 90
days, as prescribed as outer limit for deciding the appeal preferred by the
petitioner on 1.10.2008, as per the request made by the counsel for the
respondent No. 1,2, 9 and 10 to this writ petition. The true copy of the
order/intimation from the office of the Marketing Division of the Indian Oil
Corporation from its Mumbai Office situated at G-9, Ali Yavar Jung Marg, Bandra
on 22.5,2009 is filed herewith and
marked as Annexure No.19.
80. That since the Union Of India was assigned with
the direction to look into the matter of the power exercisable by higher
appellate authority over and above to the authority of respondent no. 10, the
respondent no. 10 was having no jurisdiction to decide the appeal in defiance
of the direction issued by this Hon’ble Court on 3.2.2009 as the interim
measurement to protect the interest of the petitioner. Thus the respondent No.
10 became Ex officio to decide the Appeal and the order passed on 21.7.2009 is
an order without Jurisdiction.
81. That at the very out set, it is submitted
that the petitioner is an old man and he travel up to Mumbai without having the
reservation in Railway and as such the authority letter was given to his
counsel to appear and to demonstrate the order passed on 3. 2. 2009 in the
present appeal. It is submitted that the counsel of the appellant was not
allowed to make his respectful submissions by the respondent no. 2 and there
after at the late hours was allowed to address the submission before the
respondent No.3.
82. That it is falsely alleged that any Show
Cause Notice was ever issued by GM, UPSOIL dated 09.10. 2007, nor there is any
mention regarding the service of the said notice in the termination order at
any point of time, nor in the short counter affidavit in compliance of the
order dated 06.12.2007 passed in writ petition no. 42692 of 2007. The
termination order was received along with the said short Counter affidavit, but
still has not been served to the petitioners till date. Thus the order of
appellate authority is perverse, obsolete and malafide, which has been passed
contrary to the evidences on record and in excess of the power vested with
appellate authority. Admittedly the termination order was passed without
issuance of any Show Cause Notice and there was
any Show Cause Notice ever issued by GM, UPSOIL dated 09.10. 2007, as
there is even the mention regarding the service of the said notice in the
termination order at any point of time. Thus the termination of the dealership
of the petitioner is without any opportunity and the same is in violation of
the principles of Natural Justice. The appellate authority can not step in side
the jurisdiction of the punishment authority. (AIR 1995 SC 1053 Surjit Ghosh
Versus Chairman & managing Director United Commercial Bank)
83. That the petitioner has stated that the
inspection of the retail outlet was not done in presence of dealer, nor in
presence of his representative, but the inspection, which was not done by any
Grade C Divisional level officers and the members of Weight and Measurement
Department by the Joint Inspection Team as per the requirement of 4.3 MDG 2005
and there has been the false accusation of regarding tempering of meter
assembly seal , nor its wire was manipulated. There is neither the signature of
any person having his associations with the retail outlet, nor there is the
affixation of the genuine seal of the firm on the alleged (fabricated) inspection
report.
84. That the report dated 19.06. 2007 has been
relied upon where in neither the DUs-HSD ( OF AVERY MAKE ) was neither found broken , nor it
could have been tempered as disclosed in future inspection report , relied upon
by the petitioners. There is no denial of any such report in the Impugned order
dated 21.7.2009 passed by the respondent no. 10. Thus the inspection report
dated 24. 5. 2007 is the false report, which can neither become the piece of
evidence, nor can be relied upon in presence of the report dated 19.6.2007.
85. That the petitioner was making the demand
from the respondent no. 1 and 2 and their officials to replace the cracked seal
vide letter dated 13. 05. 2007, for which there is no denial in the impugned
orders passed on 21. 12. 2007 and 21.7.2009 and as such there was no
irregularity ever found in the retail out let since its inception vide
LO/R/PNS/1621 Dated 16.5.1976, for which false reply was given to parliament
regarding its commissioned in 1998. Thus the allegation of tempering are
totally absurd, false, fabricated and redundant concoction leveled against the
petitioner, for which there is no evidence at any point of Time.
86. That neither Rajesh Sharma AMRS, Rahul
Jaidarath, nor Pankaj Kumar comprises to be the member of Joint Inspection team
( INDUSTRY) along with the officers of weight and measurement department, nor
these officers are the officers in grade “c” in the DIVISIONAL /TERRITORY/
REGIONAL OFFICES, nor they were authorized to fill up the inspection forms in
absence of the petitioners or their representatives. The order dated 21. 7 2009
relying upon such ex parte report manufactured and fabricated is arbitrary and
concocted order passed by the appellate authority namely Sri H.S. Bedi
Executive Director on the dictation of Divisional manager Mr. Kukreja without looking into the fact that
termination of the dealership of the petitioner can not be taken place in
absence of the clear cut evidences of tempering done by the petitioners by
adulteration in the H.S.D. or in Motor Spirit from his retail outlet. The
termination order is passed in
violation of natural justice without
issuance of any show cause notice is a bizarre exercise of acquiring the power
to dispense with supply of the H.S.D. or in Motor Spirit from his retail
outlet, as it may be allotted to other party after realizing the exorbitant
amount from new dealer.
87. That during the course of arguments in
furtherance of the grounds taken in appeal, Sri H.S. Bedi, Executive director
has reprimanded the conduct of then General Manager of the I.O.C. of realization of excess charges of
1,98,433/- in Round Trip distance and also condemned the false reply given by
him to the government of india regarding commission of the retail out let in
1998, while it was sanction in 1976. He also asked from Mr. Kukreja , as to why
not the supply be maintained from Kanpur depot to Mohamadabad instead of
Mathura and Agra Depot and enquired about the distance from the counsel of the
petitioners. He condemn the action of Mr. Kukreja in issuance of the order of
dismantled of retail out let during the pendency of Appeal. Shri H.S. Bedi also
said that why not the alledged issuance of the show cause notice does not find
description there of in the termination
order and sought for the receipt of dispatch of said Show Cause Notice to the
petitioner. He said the guidelines of 2005 have not been followed in conducting
the inspection and why not the report dated 19.6.2007 of weight and measurement
department may not be treated as correct. He asserted that why the termination
order was not communicated by registered post. Where is the receipt of the
certificate of posting as mentioned in termination order along with the short
counter affidavit. The appellate authority assured for resuming the supply and
to sell the petroleum product stored at retail out let by giving authority to
the petitioner. However the order was not passed on 3.6.2009, despite the
request made by the counsel in this regard.
88. That the grounds taken in appeal, Sri H.S.
Bedi, Executive director, the respondent no. 10 that there is no evidence to
suggest the tempering done in supply of H.S.D. and Motor Spirit, nor evidence
collected in this regard. Thus the termination order is void ab initio and
passed without jurisdiction.
89. That reiterated earlier that the appellate
authority can not step in side the jurisdiction of the punishment authority.
(AIR 1995 SC 1053 Surjit Ghosh Versus Chairman & managing Director United
Commercial Bank). It is submitted that there is no averment made in the
termination order that the dip of 15 KL HSD ( connected to a DU), which was
32.0 cm as on 1.1.2007 had changed to 19.0 cm during inspection on 24.5.2007
and therefore established that interconnection of tank was existing, is a baseless,
false and manufactured allegation leveled by the appellate authority without
application of mind that interconnectivity was not inoperative since more than
2 years, but on the other hand it was maintained by the department up to the
previous year of inspection. It is submitted that this was not the ground in
termination order , while the appellate authority has exceeded its jurisdiction
in imposing such false accusation as no appeal against the termination order
passé on 20. 12. 2007 was filed by the department.
90. That the petitioners were informed that
there will be further inspection on 27.6.2009 and the intimation to this effect
was given by Mr. Kukreja on the mobile of the dealer on 24.6.2009. There after
the photocopies of the register maintain at the retail out let were taken by
Rahul Jaidrath posted as ARMS Agra
along with two other officers, as nothing was found to established the
tempering of the W.M. SEAL of DUs –HSD
(of AVERY MAKE) or in the sealing wire passed through holes even on 27.6.2009.These
officers after the aforesaid inspection have assured the petitioner No. 2, but
directed to meet Mr. Kukreja and Shri H.S. Bedi . It is submitted that there
after the demand of an exorbitant money was made to resume the supply, when
ever the petitioners approached to the regional office at Agra. The petitioners
could not offer any bribe and lastly as a repercussion of it, their appeal has
been dismissed. The true copy of the impugned order passed by Sri H.S. Bedi ,
Executive Director/ appellate authority, the respondent no. 3 on 21.7.2009 is
filed herewith as Annexure No. 20
to this writ petition.
91. That in this manner, the order passed by
the respondent no. 3 is perverse, arbitrary, redundant and obsolete and based
on no evidence. The same has been passed in excess of the jurisdiction and
without application of mind simply on the dictation of the respondent no. 1 and
2 through one Mr. Kukreja with malafide intension and just to wreck the
vengeance of daring of the petitioner to raise the question regarding RTD in
parliament for realization of excess charges of Rs. 1, 98, 433/- from the
corporation. Such an order is contrary to the object and passed in ulterior
consideration of non fulfillment of the demand of illegal gratification, can
not be sustained as this exercises the pernicious influence through
reprehensible conduct and has been passed against the spirit of the order dated
3.2.2009, wherein directions were given to respondent no. 7, not to respondent
no. 10 for deciding the appeal after the expiry the of 90 days, which is not
permissible under law. Thus the order dated 21. 7. 2009 is liable to be
quashed.
92. That
on account of this inadvertent mistake and ignorance, the counsel for the
petitioner could not remain present at the time of taken up the matter and as
such the writ petition No.
5878/2009 has been dismissed due to the inadvertent mistake
of counsel for not being informed regarding the transfer of listed matter of
court no. 2 to court no. 32 on 3. 8. 2009. The proposed amendment and the
application for recall of the said order passed on 3.8. 2009 was prepared on
24.8.2009 and 27.8.2009 respectively duly supported with the affidavit, but the
same were not filed on account of the fact that certain observation in the writ petition No. 5878/2009 has been made on account of the fact of
deciding the appeal by appellate authority. The true copy of the order passed
on 3. 8. 2009 (published and received on 8.9.2009) is filed herewith and marked
as Annexure No. 21
93. That the petitioner has no other efficacious remedy, except to file the
present writ petition on the following amongst other grounds.
GROUNDS
a.
Because
Fraud and justice never dwell together, as is being done by the respondent no.
1 in the present case, while passing the impugned order in pre-medicated manner
on account of legal malice and legal malafide, which smacks the capriciousness
of power as the penal action may only be taken, when the totaliser seals found
tempered with as per MDG 2005 and not broken/ cracked..
b.
Because this may be demonstrated in the reply
submitted by Dy. General Manager on 5.3.2007 to the under secretary to the
Govt. of India in furtherance of realization of excess amount of Rs.
1,98,433.00/- from petitioner as the price of round trip distance(RTD).
c.
Because
just to avoid the liability of repayment of these extra charges from petitioner
out let from a duration of 1976 onwards, a false reply was submitted by then
Dy. General Manager in his reply/correspondence with Govt. of India saying that
the Retail out let of petitioner was commission in 1998, while in impugned
order, General Manager himself admitted
that dealership of petitioner was Commissioned in the year of 1976 (Vide LOI
R/PNS/1621 dated 16/5/1976).
d.
Because false
reply was submitted to the Union of India, the matter pertaining to their
functioning conducted in realization of the excess money of Rs. 1,98,433.00/-
from petitioner as the price of round trip distance(RTD) was enquired by the
member of parliament from govt. of India and thus passing of impugned order is
contrary to its objectives and passed with oblique motive Indian Oil
corporation.
e.
Because, as
per the guidelines the penal action of non supply of the commodity after the
inspection made on 24.7.2007 can not be done without taking prior explanation
from the dealer as per their own guide lines 6.3(notes iii) and as the notice
was issued subsequently on 12.6.2007 the order dated 24.5.2007 was illegal and
void in itself.
f.
Because,
guide line prescribed the maximum limit of 90 days in deciding the appeal as
per guidelines 6.3 (notes iv ), but
despite the appeal filed on 1.10.2008 and the date was fixed on 9.2.2009 fixing
20.2.2009 and there after 19.2.2009 and on 22.5.2009 fixing 3.6.2009, but the
departmental appeal is decided on 21.7.2009 i.e after more than9 months, instead of mandatory maximum period
of 3 months.
g.
Because,
there is no irregularity ever recorded in maintenance of the retail out let by
any authority and there was no complained ever made since 1976 from the date of
commission of retail out let and guidelines 6.3 ( notes V ) prescribed that
this fact shall be mention in the order of punishment , but neither the
punishing authority , nor appellate authority have taken the note to this provision
, while passing the order of termination of dealership.
h.
Because Fraud
is committed by the respondents, in passing the impugned orders, as the
responsibility was lying upon his officials of the respondent no. 1, to replace
the crack seal of one of the DUs
–HSD (Of Avery make), (as per the Inspection Report by the weight and
measurement officer made on 19.6.2007), as the said charge is based on no
evidence and perverse finding.
i.
Because there
was persistent demand to replace the
crack seal, (as per the Inspection Report by the weight and measurement
officer made on 19.6.2007) to have the
other repairs by tightening the sealing wire through holes of seals of DU-MS
(of MIDCO make) and HSD (of Avery Make) and there may not be even the apprehension
upon the mind of inspection team that totalize could be manipulated without
breaking the seals, which is self contrary charge with earlier charge and
suspicion, whatsoever, it may be strong , but the same could not become the
basis of punishment. The said charge leveled is based on no evidence and
perverse finding.
j.
Because the
order dated 20.12.2007, based upon ex-parte averments and allegation leveled in
suspension order, has been issued without
giving any show cause notice by the
competent authority and the impugned order are having
the civil consequences, the same could not be passed without affording any opportunity of being heard to
the petitioner.
k.
Because the
other ground which are enumerated in the aforesaid guidelines are in respect of
the short delivery of the product with
regard to the weight and measures
seal intact and in case the Weights and Measures seal
is tampered then only any penal action would have taken by the competent
authority. Thus the issuance of the order on 20-12-2007 has been also
beyond the jurisdiction of the respondent no. 1.
l.
Because the
order of the termination is challenged on the ground that it could not be
passed on the false and baseless allegation merely on the ground of suspicion
in conducting the irregularity, which was not based upon any complaint of the customer
by the inspecting team, and was inspected
without taking the approval of
the same from the competent authority.
m.
Because the Weight and Measurement Officer, who is
required to verify the processing of
the seal of high speed diesel and Weight and Measure seal as reported
on 19-6-2007 itself that the High
Speed Diesel DUs seal on its meter was not tampered and in the said inspection there was no tampering on
with the read wire. It was also directed to put a set on the machine and
nothing was found adverse which could have been resultant in non-supply of the
High Speed Diesel and Motor Spirit to
the retail outlet by suspending the license.
n.
Because It is submitted that if W& M seal
of HSD-DU every make on meter assembly was found broken how does in the
inspection made on 19-6-2007 only crack could have been found by the officials
of the Weight and Measurement Department. Thus the allegation leveled in
furtherance of the charge no. II recorded in the suspension order dated
24-5-2007 and in the show cause notice dated 12-6-2007 was based on the false allegation,
which is in itself contradictory as per the report submitted by the inspection
team of the Weight and Measurement Department on 19-6-2007.
o.
Because the
order 20.12.2007 was not passed after giving
any opportunity of being heard, nor the reply submitted in respect of query
made has been taken into consideration. Thus passing of order is in violation
of Principle of natural justice. The same are liable to set aside.
p.
Because, the harassment is being done
subsequent to the aforesaid action by making and intimation from the office of
the Marketing Division of the Indian Oil Corporation from its Mumbai Office
situated at G-9, Ali Yavar Jung Marg, Bandra on 09.02.2009 directing the
petitioner to appear at 2nd Floor of World Trade Centre, Baber Road,
New Delhi on 20.02.2009. when the petitioner alongwith his counsel appeared
before the World Trade Centre, Baber Road, New Delhi, they were intimated by
the General Manager of the Indian Oil Corporation (Marketing Division, New
Delhi) that the date was already changed from 20.02.2009 to 19.02.2009 and the
order/intimation of the aforesaid change was given to the Sales Manager of the
Indian Oil Corporation at Agra but he did not intimated the correct date to the
petitioner.
q.
Because, it is falsely alleged that any Show
Cause Notice was ever issued by GM, UPSOIL dated 09.10. 2007, nor there is any
mention regarding the service of the said notice in the termination order at any
point of time, nor in the short counter affidavit in compliance of the order
dated 06.12.2007 passed in writ petition no. 42692 of 2007. Admittedly the
termination order was passed without issuance of any Show Cause Notice and
there was any Show Cause Notice ever
issued by GM, UPSOIL dated 09.10. 2007, as there is even the mention regarding
the service of the said notice in the termination order at any point of time.
Thus the termination of the dealership of the petitioner is without any
opportunity and the same is in violation of the principles of Natural Justice.
The appellate authority can not step in side the jurisdiction of the punishment
authority. (AIR 1995 SC 1053 Surjit Ghosh Versus Chairman & managing
Director United Commercial Bank)
r.
Because, the petitioner has stated that the
inspection of the retail outlet was not done in presence of dealer, nor in
presence of his representative, but the inspection, which was not done by any
Grade C Divisional level officers and the members of Weight and Measurement
Department by the Joint Inspection Team as per the requirement of 4.3 MDG 2005
and there has been the false accusation of regarding tempering of meter
assembly seal , nor its wire was manipulated. There is neither the signature of
any person having his associations with the retail outlet, nor there is the
affixation of the genuine seal of the firm on the alleged (fabricated)
inspection report.
s.
Because, the report dated 19.06.2007 has
been relied upon where in neither the DUs-HSD ( OF AVERY MAKE ) was neither found broken , nor it
could have been tempered as disclosed in future inspection report , relied upon
by the petitioners. There is no denial of any such report in the Impugned order
dated 21.7.2009 passed by the respondent no. 10. Thus the inspection report
dated 24. 5. 2007 is the false report, which can neither become the piece of
evidence, nor can be relied upon in presence of the report dated 19.6.2007.
t.
Because, the petitioner was making the
demand from the respondent no. 1 and 2 and their officials to replace the cracked
seal vide letter dated 13.05. 2007, for which there is no denial in the
impugned orders passed on 21. 12. 2007 and 21.7.2009 and as such there was no
irregularity ever found in the retail out let since its inception vide
LO/R/PNS/1621 Dated 16.5.1976, for which false reply was given to parliament
regarding its commissioned in 1998. Thus the allegation of tempering are
totally absurd, false, fabricated and redundant concoction leveled against the
petitioner, for which there is no evidence at any point of Time.
u.
Because, Sri H.S. Bedi, Executive director
has reprimanded the conduct of then General Manager of the I.O.C. of
realization of excess charges of 1,98,433/- in Round Trip distance and also
condemned the false reply given by him to the government of India regarding
commission of the retail out let in 1998, while it was sanction in 1976. He
also asked from Mr. Kukreja , as to why not the supply be maintained from
Kanpur depot to Mohamadabad instead of Mathura and Agra Depot and enquired
about the distance from the counsel of the petitioners.
v.
Because the action of Mr. Kukreja in
issuance of the order of dismantled of retail out let during the pendency of
Appeal. Shri H.S. Bedi also said that why not the allege issuance of the show
cause notice does not find description there
of in the termination order and sought for the receipt of dispatch of
said Show Cause Notice to the petitioner. He said the guidelines of 2005 have
not been followed in conducting the inspection and why not the report dated
19.6.2007 of weight and measurement department may not be treated as correct.
He asserted that why the termination order was not communicated by registered
post. Where is the receipt of the certificate of posting as mentioned in
termination order along with the short counter affidavit. The appellate
authority assured for resuming the supply and to sell the petroleum product
stored at retail out let by giving authority to the petitioner.
w.
Because. the grounds taken in appeal, Sri
H.S. Bedi, Executive director, the respondent no. 10 that there is no evidence
to suggest the tempering done in supply of H.S.D. and Motor Spirit, nor
evidence collected in this regard. Thus the termination order is void ab initio
and passed without jurisdiction.
x.
Because, as reiterated earlier that the
appellate authority can not step in side the jurisdiction of the punishment
authority. (AIR 1995 SC 1053 Surjit Ghosh Versus Chairman & managing
Director United Commercial Bank). It is submitted that there is no averment
made in the termination order that the dip of 15 KL HSD ( connected to a DU),
which was 32.0 cm as on 1.1.2007 had changed to 19.0 cm during inspection on
24.5.2007 and therefore established that interconnection of tank was existing,
is a baseless, false and manufactured allegation leveled by the appellate
authority without application of mind that interconnectivity was not
inoperative since more than 2 years, but on the other hand it was maintained by
the department up to the previous year of inspection. It is submitted that this
was not the ground in termination order, while the appellate authority has
exceeded its jurisdiction in imposing such false accusation as no appeal
against the termination order passé on 20. 12. 2007 was filed by the
department.
y.
Because, the order passed by the respondent
no. 3 is perverse, arbitrary, redundant and obsolete and based on no evidence.
The same has been passed in excess of the jurisdiction and without application
of mind simply on the dictation of the respondent no. 1 and 2 through one Mr.
Kukreja with malafide intension and just to wreck the vengeance of daring of
the petitioner to raise the question regarding RTD in parliament for
realization of excess charges of Rs. 1, 98, 433/- from the corporation. Such an
order is contrary to the object and passed in ulterior consideration of non
fulfillment of the demand of illegal gratification, can not be sustained as
this exercises the pernicious influence through reprehensible conduct and has
been passed against the spirit of the order dated 3.2.2009, wherein directions
were given to respondent no. 7, not to respondent no. 3 for deciding the appeal
after the expiry the of 90 days, which is not permissible under law. Thus the
order dated 21. 7. 2009 is liable to be quashed.
z.
Because the order passed by the appellate
authority after expiry of 90 days maximum period prescribed for deciding the
appeal is an order by making an abuse of power in excess to the jurisdiction
conferred with the appellate authority tantamount contempt of the order dated
3.2.2009 passed by this Hon’ble court, wherein the union of India was directed
to decide the appeal, but not by the respondent No. 3 by passing the illegal
order in excess of jurisdiction without application of Mind.
PRAYER
It is, therefore, Most respect fully prayed
that this Hon’ble court may graciously be pleased to:-
I)
Issue a writ , order or direction in
the nature of Certiorari Quashing the Impugned order passed on 21. 7.
2009 (Annexure No. 20) by the respondent No. 3 rejecting the
departmental Appeal filed on 1. 10 2008 beyond the prescribed period of
limitation of 90 days prescribed under Clause 6.3.5 of the Marketing Discipline
Guidelines of 2005, affirming the
impugned order having affirmation of order of termination of dealership of the
petitioner’s retail outlet and order passed
on 20.12.2007 (Annexure No. 10) in excess of jurisdiction and also in flagrant
violation of their own Marketing
Discipline Guidelines of 2005.
II)
Issue a
writ, order or direction in the nature of Mandamus Commanding and directing the
respondent to maintain the regular supply of HSD and MS and other lubricants to the petitioners
as justice may be one with the right of petitioner.
III)
Issue any other writ, order or direction as
this Hon’ble Court may deem fit and proper under the circumstances of the case.
Dated- 10.9.2009 (YOGESH KUMAR SAXENA)
ADVOCATE HIGH COURT
(Counsel for the Petitioner)
Chamber No. 139, High Court, Allahabad
IN
THE HON’BLE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT ALLAHABAD
Annexure – 3
CIVIL MISC. WRIT
PETITION NO. OF
2009
(Under Article 226 of the Constitution of India) (District
–Farrukhabad)
M/S Dhirpur
Multi Center, Mohammadabad, District Farrukhabad, through its proprietor , Shri
Bhagwan Baksh Singh son of Shri Abiran Singh, r/o Village and Post Dheerpur, Tehsil Sadar,
District Farrukhabad and another .
-------------------------Petitioners
Versus
Indian
Oil Corporation Ltd through its General
Manager, Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. State Office, U.P-II, Noida. And others ………………………………….. Respondents
A Patel
Government Seal
Minister of State for Petroleum & Natural Gas, Government of India,
New Delhi – 110 001
April 26, 2007
Shri Singh ji,
Please refer to your D.O. letter No. MP/CBS/MOP&NG/2006 dated
30.11.2006 regarding release of payment to M/s. Dheerpur Multi was commissioned in 1998. Retail
Selling Price (RSP) of this RO was fixed considering 480 RTKM, the certified
Round Trip Kilo Meter (RTKM) at that time. RTKM any location from any supply
point is not permanent. It varies with time as it gets … arranged due to development of new road,
construction of bridges, culverts and bye pass road of town, cities etc.
In 2003 one more RO, belonging to BPC, was commissioned at Mohamadabad
….. to change of RTKM, the new RSP of
the location was revised downward taking round Trip Destination as 397 KM.
IOC
has further reported that the dealer’s commission does no depend on the SP of
the product as the element of dealer’s commission per liter is constant factor
respective of the final RSP. Secondly,
the effect of higher RTKM in the price
is taken are by the higher RSP fixed for the location and it does not have any
effect in the dealer’s commission received by the dealer. The effect of higher
billing price has direct bearing in the RSP of the location. In view of the
above, IOC is unable to consider the request for refund.
A copy of the report dated 05.03.2007 received from IOC is enclosed for
your kind appreciation.
With regards,
Encl ; As above. Yours
sincerely
(Dinesh
Patel)
Shri Chandra Bhushan Sinigh, M.
P. (Lok Sabha), B-1, ‘A’ Block, M.S. Flats, Baba Kharak Singh Marg, New Delhi –
100 001
IN
THE HON’BLE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT ALLAHABAD
Annexure – 4
CIVIL MISC. WRIT
PETITION NO. OF 2009
(Under Article 226 of the Constitution of India) (District
–Farrukhabad)
M/S Dhirpur
Multi Center, Mohammadabad, District Farrukhabad, through its proprietor , Shri
Bhagwan Baksh Singh son of Shri Abiran Singh, r/o Village and Post Dheerpur, Tehsil Sadar,
District Farrukhabad and another .
-------------------------Petitioners
Versus
Indian
Oil Corporation Ltd through its General
Manager, Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. State Office, U.P-II, Noida. And others ………………………………….. Respondents
Indian Oil Corporation Limited, Regd. Office : Indian Oil Bhawan, G-9,
Ali Yavar Jang Marg, Bandra (East), Mumbai – 400 051 (India)
Marketing Division…………………………………………………………………………………………………
Ref.No.4031/AM By
Speed Post
Dated
: 05.03.2007
To,
Under Secretary to the Govt. of India
Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas,
Government of India
Shashtri Bhawan,
NEW DELHI – 110 0010
Kind
Attn. : Shri Tajbir Singh
Ref :
Auto Generated Reference No. 200605671 dt. 18.01.2007
Sub : REG. REP of M/s. Dhirpur Multi Centre, IOC dealership at
Mohmdabad, District – Farrukhabad regarding excess price charged from 1998 to
2004.
Dear Sir,
This has reference to DO letter dated 30.11.06 Shri Chandra Bhushan
Singh, Hon’ble MP(LS) which has been acknowledged by Hon’ble Minister of P
& NG vide his DO letter no. 2842/M
(P&NG)/VIP/06 dated 06.12.2006.
Hon’ble MP has forwarded a representation of Shri Bhagwan Baksha
Singh
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