In Brief
A bank employee was issued a charge sheet seven years after an alleged incident of issuing a cheque without adequate balance. Disciplinary proceedings continued after his superannuation, and he was dismissed from service. The High Court quashed the dismissal order. The bank appealed to the Supreme Court. The Court dismissed the appeal, holding that no substantive penalty like dismissal can be imposed after an officer's superannuation. The Court also found that the 7-year delay, denial of pension and subsistence allowance during inquiry, and the personal nature of the conduct violated the employee's right to fair opportunity and access to justice. Costs were awarded to the employee.
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