In Brief
The appellant, a bank clerk appointed based on a Konda Reddy caste certificate, worked for 38 years but was denied retirement benefits when his certificate was challenged. The dispute remained unresolved for 19 years, and subsequent enquiries violated principles of natural justice by proceeding ex-parte without giving him opportunity to cross-examine witnesses or present evidence. The Supreme Court held that while employment based on fraudulent caste certificates may result in benefit denial, no such deprivation is justified here because the falsity was never proven through fair process. The Court ordered the bank to pay all withheld retirement benefits with interest, emphasizing that caste certificates are not mere documents but acknowledgments of identity deserving procedural fairness.
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