DEV SINGH vs PUNJAB TOURISM DEV. CORPN. LTD.

The Supreme Court upheld the dismissal of the appellant, a Senior Assistant in the Punjab Tourism Development Corporation, for misconduct under By-Law 18, related to the misplacement of a file. The Court found no reason to disagree with the Inquiry Officer's findings, but noted that the extreme punishment of dismissal could be disproportionate given the appellant's 20 years of unblemished service. The Court reiterated that while it generally does not interfere with disciplinary penalties, it may do so if the punishment shocks the conscience, referencing precedents such as Bhagat Ram vs. State of H.P. and Ranjit Thakur vs. Union of India.