Karnataka High Court in Malurappa v. Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (Writ Appeal No. 1222 of 2024) upheld the dismissal of an employee who had secured employment by producing a forged educational certificate. The employee had been appointed in 1988 by furnishing a forged Transfer Certificate claiming completion of IX Standard. The Enquiry Officer found the charge proved, and the employee was subsequently dismissed from service in 2005. The employee argued that under the employer’s service rules, termination could not be ordered for suppression of information after long service. However, the Court held that the impugned provision was inapplicable since it covered suppression of past service details, not fraudulent appointments through forged documents. The Court further emphasised that the employee would have been ineligible for appointment without the forged certificate. Rejecting the plea of disproportionate punishment, the Court observed that furnishing a forged document to secure employment strikes at the root of the employer–employee relationship and cannot be condoned. Accordingly, the order for dismissal was sustained.
Stay connected with us on social media platforms for instant updates click here to join our LinkedIn, Twitter & Facebook
