New Delhi: The charge of negligence, inadvertence or unintentional acts on the part of a government servant would not culminate into the case of doubtful integrity, the Supreme Court has said.
A bench of justices B S Chauhan and J S Khehar set aside the disciplinary proceedings against a Sub-Inspector Uttar Pradesh Police which was initiated for allegedly being negligent in recording the criminal history of an accused.
"Integrity means soundness of moral principle or character, fidelity, honesty, free from every biasing or corrupting influence or motive and a character of uncorrupted virtue.
"It is synonymous with probity, purity, uprightness rectitude, sinlessness and sincerity. The charge of negligence, inadvertence or unintentional acts would not culminate into the case of doubtful integrity," the bench said.
The bench pulled up the Uttar Pradesh Police for treating their subordinates in a casual and cavalier manner.
"The instant case is an eye opener as it reveals as to what extent the superior statutory authorities decide the fate of their subordinates in a casual and cavalier manner without application of mind and then expect them to maintain complete discipline merely being members of the disciplined forces," the bench said.
The court passed the order on plea filed by Sub Inspector Vijay Singh challenging the withholding of his integrity certificate for the year 2010 by his superior for his alleged negligence.
"The impugned order withholding integrity certificate for the year 2010 and all subsequent orders in this regard are quashed," the bench said while grating relief to Singh.
PTI
