In Brief
The appellant, a CRPF recruit, was terminated from service after allegedly suppressing an FIR registered against him in a criminal case on his 1994 verification form. Although he was acquitted in May 1994, an appeal was pending when termination occurred. The High Court upheld the termination. The Supreme Court directed the appointing authority to reconsider the case in light of established principles: termination for suppression requires proof the employee had knowledge of the facts. The Court noted that trivial offences may be condoned while serious non-trivial cases may justify termination. The authority must pass a fresh, reasoned order within four months after hearing the appellant.
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