New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has upheld a public sector bank's decision to fire an employee guilty of theft, saying banks which constantly deal with cash cannot keep a "thief" in their payrolls.
Justice Shiv Narayan Dhingra rejected the plea of Mohinder Pal Grover, who earlier worked as a peon with Vijaya Bank in Delhi, for quashing the bank's order dismissing him.
"The petitioner (Grover) was guilty of committing theft and was rightly removed from service. There was no ground to interfere in the order of punishement," the court said.
Vijaya Bank's counsel told the court that Grover was dismissed from his job after he was found guilty of committing theft twice while on duty. A chargesheet was served on him for his involvement in the theft of Rs 900 in 1987 and Rs 650 in 1997, the counsel said.
Disciplinary proceedings were initiated against Grover and the enquiry officer found the charges of theft against him had been proved.
As a result, the disciplinary authority recommended his removal from service, the counsel said.
Grover had challenged the validity of the deparmental enquiry before the appellate authority but his plea was rejected.
He then filed a case with the Industrial Tribunal, seeking benefit under the Industrial Disputes Act.
The tribunal, after examining evidence from the bank and Grover, passed an order in the bank's favour and said "the decision taken by the bank was fair and proper".
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