In Brief
The State Bank of India appealed against a High Court order that had quashed a disciplinary penalty imposed on a Field Officer for misconduct. The Supreme Court held that the High Court had overstepped the limited scope of judicial review in disciplinary proceedings by re-appreciating evidence. The Court found that the Enquiry Officer's findings regarding the officer's failure to conduct periodic inspections and failure to secure a loan with offered collateral security were supported by evidence. The burden of proof in such proceedings depends on the nature of the charge; once the employer establishes a prima facie case, the employee must rebut it. The penalty imposed was proportionate to the proven charges. The Court allowed the appeal and set aside the High Court judgments.
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