DELHI TRANSPORT CORPORATION vs RAM AVTAR SHRAMA

Judgment text excerpt

* IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI Judgment reserved on: 22.01.2026 % Judgment delivered on: 23.05.2026 + LPA 972/2024 & CM APPL. 57378/2024 DELHI TRANSPORT CORPORATION .....Appellant Versus RAM AVTAR SHARMA .....Respondent Advocates who appeared in this case For the Appellant : Mr. Rahul Kumar Verma, Mr. Raj Shekhar Awasthi and Ms. Bhumi Panjwani, Advocates. For the Respondent : Mr. Vikram Singh, Advocate. CORAM: HON'BLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE TEJAS KARIA JUDGMENT TEJAS KARIA, J 1. The present Letters Patent Appeal has been filed challenging the order dated 14.05.2024 (“Impugned Order”) passed in W.P.(C) No. 6785/2011 (“Writ Petition”) titled as ‘Delhi Transport Corporation v. Ram Avtar Sharma’, whereby the Writ Petition filed by the Appellant was dismissed. LPA 972/2024 Page 1 of 17 Signature Not Verified Signed By:NEELAM SHARMA Signing Date:23.05.2026 14:32:13 FACTUAL MATRIX 2. The Respondent, Mr. Ram Avtar Sharma, entered the service of the Appellant, Delhi Transport Corporation (“DTC”), as a daily-rated Conductor on 30.07.1983 and was subsequently placed on monthly-rated service on 30.01.1984. The Respondent was last posted at Okhla Depot-I of the DTC. 3. On 24.04.1992, the Respondent was on duty on Bus No. 6214 operating on the Shivaji Stadium-Sohna route (“Bus”). At about 8:00 PM, the Vigilance Checking Squad (“Squad”) intercepted the Bus at Badshahpur, where a group of five passengers was found travelling without tickets. Upon being questioned by the Squad, the said passengers stated that they had paid the requisite fare to the Respondent. On further enquiry, the Respondent admitted his lapse in not issuing the tickets, and, upon search conducted by the Squad, un-punched tickets bearing Nos. 66667 to 66671 of ₹2/- each were recovered from h