In Brief
Ram Lal, a police constable, was dismissed from service in a departmental enquiry on allegation that he had falsified his date of birth to obtain recruitment. He was subsequently acquitted in a parallel criminal trial. The Supreme Court held that the departmental enquiry was vitiated because the Enquiry Officer ignored material evidence: the original 8th class marksheet bore the correct date of birth (21.04.1972) with no alterations, and the investigating officer confirmed no alteration existed. Since charges, witnesses and evidence were identical in both proceedings, and the criminal acquittal followed full consideration of prosecution evidence showing the charge was disproved, the Court allowed the appeal and ordered reinstatement with 50% backwages, finding that allowing the dismissal to stand would be unjust and oppressive.
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