This Court finds it difficult to hold that on
exoneration by the criminal court, the respondent was
automatically entitled to back wages under Rule 97 and 99 of
the Bihar Service Code. The Code deals with the conduct of
departmental proceedings and considers cases of detention
when departmental proceedings are held. The Appellants
have not issued any circular of the nature noticed in the case
of Jaipur Vidyut Nigam(supra) adopting the Code by fiction to
a case of criminal conviction and acquittal.
Placing reliance on AIR 1984 SC 380 (Brahma
Chandra Gupta versus Union of India) paragraph No. 6, it
was urged that the Supreme Court, as a measure of socio
economic justice, after acquittal by the criminal Court,
directed for payment of full salary consequent to
reinstatement in a prosecution under Section 19(f) of the
Indian Arms Act and Section 5 of the Explosive Substance
Act.
The case of "Janki Raman" (supra) relied upon
by the respondent related to a case of departmental
proceeding. It was primarily dealing with issues of procedure
9
to be followed in a departmental proceeding including that of
sealed cover consideration for promotion. The lis therein was
not in context of a criminal proceeding and acquittal. The
reference to the criminal case was only a passing observation
on the different kinds of consideration that may arise with
regard to a challenge to a departmental proceeding and the
punishment passed thereunder.
The Supreme Court in AIR 1997 SC 608(State
of U.P. and another versus Ved Pal Singh and another)
considered a claim for back wages of the respondent who was
removed from service on conviction by a criminal Court in an
offence under Section 409 IPC but was later acquitted of the
charges. It was held in the relevant extract of paragraph 4 as
follows.
In 2007(1) SCC 324(Banshi Dhar versus State
of Rajasthan and another) the appellant was charged for
having made a demand for illegal gratification leading to a
case by the Anti Corruption Department. A trap was laid and
he was found to have accepted illegal gratification. He was
prosecuted under Section 5(1)(d) of the Prevention of
Corruption Act read with Section 161 of the Penal Code.
Conviction followed. He was dismissed from service. He
preferred an appeal against conviction. The appeal was
allowed and he stood acquitted.
Considering the evolution of judicial thinking on
this aspect, it has been held in 2010(2) SCC 70 (Reetu
Marbles versus Prabhakant Shukla) at paragraph 15 and
16 as follows.