STATE OF N.C.T.OF DELHI vs AJAY KUMAR TYAGI

The Supreme Court held that the acquittal of the accused in departmental proceedings does not automatically lead to quashing of the FIR under Section 7/13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act. The Court emphasized that the standard of proof in criminal cases is higher than in departmental inquiries, and thus, the findings of the inquiry officer cannot be determinative of the criminal proceedings. The Court upheld the validity of the FIR, affirming that the prosecution can proceed based on the evidence collected during the investigation.