Union Of India vs Dattatray S/O Namdeo Mendhekar & Ors

The Supreme Court held that the High Court erred in allowing the first respondent to continue in service despite the invalidation of his Scheduled Tribe status, as per the Scrutiny Committee's findings. The Court clarified that the precedent set in State of Maharashtra vs. Milind does not extend to protecting appointments based on false claims of caste or tribe when the individual has accepted the Scrutiny Committee's decision. The appeal was allowed, and the High Court's direction to continue the first respondent in service was set aside, emphasizing the importance of verifying caste claims for public employment under Article 16 of the Constitution.