State Of Punjab & Ors vs Rafiq Masih (White Washer) on 18 December, 2014
6. Mr. Dutt, learned senior counsel for the petitioner states that the
respondent was not a Class III or Class IV employee. He received retiral
dues to the tune of Rs. 32 lakhs and, therefore, the deduction of Rs.
1,97,253/- was not so grave as to cause undue hardship to him. He had no
legal right to retain the said amount as it was inadvertently paid to him. He,
W.P.(C.) No.1558/2019 Page 2 of 6
therefore, submits that the decision in Rafiq Masih 2 could not be invoked
in this case. He further submits that in State of Punjab and Others v. Rafiq
Masih (White Washer), (2014) 8 SCC 883, (hereinafter referred as Rafiq
Masih 1), the three-judge - Bench to which the matter was referred to
resolve an apparent conflict between Shyam Babu Verma v. Union of
India, (1994) 2 SCC 521, and Sahib Ram v. State of Haryana, 1995 Supp
(1) SCC 18, on one hand, and Chandi Prasad Uniyal V. State of
Uttarakhand, (2012) 8 SCC 417, on the other hand, observed that the orders
issued in Shyam Babu Verma (supra) were in exercise of the powers of the
Supreme Court under Article 142 of the Constitution of India.