‘Amendments to disciplinary rules needed’

Justice V Parthiban while dismissing a plea moved by a sub-inspector seeking to reduce the penalty of dismissal after being convicted under the provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act, as devoid of merits, said, “Since this Court is of the considered view that proved corruption cannot be condoned under any circumstances and therefore dismissal order cannot even be remotely held to be disproportionate.”

Directing the registry to forward a copy of the order to the Chief Secretary of the State to take forward the suggestions of the court to make suitable amendment in disciplinary rules governing the State Government employees, said, “The above rule would disclose that in the matters of corruption, a stern view is to be taken, since the incidents of corruption are proliferating in alarming proportion in public employment. Therefore, a deterrent punishment ought to be the order of the day to curb or curtail the abominable menace of corruption.”

Coming down heavily on the arguments put forth by the senior counsel for the petitioner that offence relating to corruption is not of moral turpitude, the judge said, “Such arguments are nothing, but a desperate attempt to convince this Court in regard to the magnitude of the penalty imposed in order to call for its interference.  If corruption is not a moral turpitude, this Court does not think what else can be termed as turpitude apart from certain other offences of Indian Penal Code, like cheating, rape etc.”