In Brief
A conductor of Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation was dismissed for misconduct after an Inspector found 17 passengers without tickets and alleged the conductor misbehaved. The Tribunal and High Court set aside the dismissal, citing the lack of recorded passenger statements and absence of an FIR. The Supreme Court held that strict Evidence Act rules do not apply to domestic inquiries and that the Inspector's unchallenged testimony sufficed as evidence. Low-fare passengers' hesitation to get involved justified non-recording of their details. The non-lodging of an FIR is irrelevant to departmental proceedings. The Court restored the dismissal order, allowing the employer's appeal.
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