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14. Now, it is well settled law that if termination is on the foundation   of   misconduct   i.e.  if   the   termination   was   the   result   of inducement caused by the misconduct of the claimant, then domestic enquiry   is   must.     But,   if   termination   is   simply   the   motive   of misconduct,   then   domestic   enquiry   is   not   required.   In,  State   of Punjab   Vs.   Sukh   Raj   Bahadur,   AIR   1968   SC   1089,  a     charge­ memo for a regular enquiry was served, reply given and at that stage itself, the proceedings  were dropped  and simple  termination  letter was issued.  It was held that the order of simple termination was not founded on any findings as to misconduct.  In that case, the Hon'ble Supreme   Court   had   referred  A.G.   Benjamin   Vs.   Union   of   India (1967)   I   LLJ   718   (SC)  in   which   a     charge­memo   was   issued, explanation was received and  Enquiry Officer   was also appointed but   before   the   enquiry   could   be   completed,   the   proceedings   were dropped and simple order of termination was passed.   The reason for dropping the proceedings was that departmental proceedings would take a much longer time and the management was not sure that it would   be   able   to   deal   with   the   delinquent   official   in   the   way   he deserved.   The Apex Court upheld termination.   Similarly, it was held by the Apex Court in  Dipti Prakash Banerjee Vs. Satyendra Nath Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, Calcutta and Ors. (supra) as under :­ "21.   If   findings   were   arrived   at   in   inquiry   as   to misconduct, behind the back of the officer or without a regular departmental enquiry, the simple order of termination   is   to   be   treated   as   `founded'   on   the allegations and will be bad. But if the inquiry was not   held,   no   finding   were   arrived   at   and   the employer was not inclined to conduct an inquiry but, at the same time, he did not want to continue the employee   against   whom   there   were   complaints,   it would only be a case of motive and the order would not be bad. Similar is the position if the employer did   not   want   to   inquire   into   the   truth   of   the allegations   because   of   delay   in   regular departmental proceedings or he was doubtful about securing adequate evidence. In such a circumstance, the   allegations   would   be   a   motive   and   not   the foundation   and   the   simple   order   of   termination would be valid."