In Brief
A police constable dismissed after 15 years of service for gross negligence, slackness, indiscipline and alleged intoxication related to a brief absence from duty challenged his dismissal. Though the departmental inquiry was procedurally sound and appellate authorities upheld the dismissal, the Supreme Court found the punishment grossly disproportionate. Considering the lengthy service record, prolonged suspension, and severe hardship to the employee and family, the Court set aside the dismissal and substituted it with compulsory retirement, treating this as the appropriate measure of justice.
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