In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court has upheld the dismissal of railway employees who secured compassionate appointments using fraudulent documents. The apex court expressed deep disapproval of the Railways’ negligence in allowing such appointments to slip through without proper verification.
The case revolved around employees who were granted jobs following their fathers’ deaths, using forged documents to secure these positions. The Tribunal initially overturned these appointments, citing the lack of genuine supporting documentation. This decision was backed by the Appellate Tribunal but later overturned by the High Court.
The Railways, dissatisfied with the High Court’s ruling, took the matter to the Supreme Court. Justices JK Maheshwari and Sanjay Karol underscored the importance of rigorous document verification, especially for an organization as significant as the Railways. They questioned how such a major employer could fail to catch fraudulent claims.
Justice Sanjay Karol emphasized that the respondents did not provide clear or relevant materials to support their appointments, making the Tribunal’s initial rejection unsurprising. The court ruled that the fraudulently secured positions could not be retained under constitutional protections.
Referencing the precedent set in Devendra Kumar v. State of Uttaranchal, the court reinforced that individuals who commit fraud cannot benefit from their wrongful actions to evade legal consequences.
Consequently, the Supreme Court set aside the High Court’s decision, reinstating the Tribunal’s original order to dismiss the fraudulent employees. The court concluded that the Railways had rightly dismissed these employees, and the appeal was allowed in favor of the appellant.
