S.B.I. vs K.P. NARAYANAN KUTTY

The Supreme Court upheld the High Court's decision to set aside the dismissal of the respondent from service, emphasizing the necessity of providing an opportunity to the employee to contest the findings of the Enquiry Officer, as established in Punjab National Bank v. Kunj Behari Misra, [1998] 7 SCC 84. The Court found that the disciplinary authority's failure to provide such an opportunity violated principles of natural justice, thus rendering the dismissal invalid. Consequently, the appeal was dismissed, affirming the High Court's ruling.