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8. I have carefully considered the submissions of the learned counsel on either side and perused the connected material records and also went through the decisions relied on by them.

9. A circumspection of the facts of this case would reveal that the petitioner, while working as Junior Assistant in a Government Orphanage at K.K. Nagar, Trichy, was issued a Charge Memo on 19.03.1997 alleging that he had lost a Demand Draft dated 16.02.1996 for Rs.5000/- drawn in favour of one Ramayee. A criminal complaint was also lodged against the petitioner before the Crime Branch Police, Trichy. It is seen that the District Social Welfare Officer, Mrs.Rama Jothi and Accountant, Mr.Arulanand and Superintendent, Mr.Sudhandiramani are also maintaining accounts and they hold the key to the Safety Locker, in which the Demand Drafts are kept. Based on this, the petitioner made a claim that without examining those persons, the respondent has proceeded to issue Charge Memo only against him. This aspect has been refuted by the respondent in the counter stating that there are several witnesses deposing that the petitioner was responsible for encashing the cheque of the beneficiary, Ramayee. All these events are based on the Charge Memo dated 19.03.1997 for the incident which took place on 22.03.1996 and the enquiry was conducted on 27.05.2004. It appears that from the date of initiation of the proceedings and issuance of the charge memo, even after a lapse of 12 years, there is no conclusion of the proceedings, which has to be concluded in a reasonable time.