Karnataka high court upholds termination of Bengaluru bus driver for securing job with forged documents | Bengaluru News
Bengaluru: The high court confirmed the termination of Malurappa, a former badli (spare) driver at Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corportation (BMTC), for using fraudulent documents and concealing facts to secure employment. The ruling was delivered by a division bench led by Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice CM Joshi.Malurappa joined BMTC as a badli driver on Aug 29, 1988 by presenting a transfer certificate showing completion of education till class 9. The certificate was later discovered to be fraudulent. BMTC initiated disciplinary proceedings on June 30, 2001, appointing an inquiry officer. The investigation, which included testimony from the security officer and headmistress of Yerappanahalli govt higher primary school, confirmed the allegations.Following his dismissal on July 27, 2005, Malurappa contested the decision in the labour court. BMTC maintained that he studied only till class 1, whereas the minimum requirement for a badli driver was class 4. The labour court overturned his termination on March 18, 2016, ordering reinstatement without back wages, but with service continuity and reduced increments.BMTC challenged this decision before a single bench, which overturned the labour court order on Feb 12, 2024. Malurappa then filed a writ appeal, citing excessive delays in disciplinary proceedings and referencing a 1983 circular, arguing that termination was unjustified after 17 years of service.The division bench found no procedural delays and clarified the 1983 circular was not applicable to cases involving forged documents for employment. It concluded that Malurappa was ineligible for the position, thereby upholding his dismissal and rejecting his appeal.
