In Brief
The Airports Authority of India appealed against a High Court Division Bench order that set aside the dismissal of Pradip Kumar Banerjee, an Assistant Engineer convicted of accepting illegal gratification. The Supreme Court held that disciplinary enquiries apply the standard of preponderance of probabilities, not beyond reasonable doubt as in criminal trials. Strict rules of evidence governing criminal proceedings do not apply to domestic enquiries; confessional statements may be relied upon, and non-examination of the decoy is not fatal if other evidence establishes guilt. The Court found that the enquiry officer's findings were properly supported by testimony from the Trap Laying Officer and other witnesses. The Division Bench erred in re-appreciating evidence during an intra-court appeal. The dismissal order was upheld, and the appeal was allowed.
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