Holding

The Supreme Court held that the respondent did not suppress any material fact because Column 12 requires only disclosure of convictions or preventive detention, not arrests or pending cases, and therefore the appeal was dismissed.

Summary

B. C. Naidu was selected as a Stipendiary Cadet Trainee Police Constable but was barred from training because the authorities said he had been arrested under the IPC and the Andhra Pradesh Public Examination Prevention of Malpractice and Unfair Means Act, 1997, which he had not disclosed in the attestation form. The Tribunal held that he had suppressed material information and disqualified him. The Andhra Pradesh High Court set aside that finding, holding that Column 12 of the attestation form only requires disclosure of convictions or preventive detention, not arrests or pending cases. On appeal, the Supreme Court affirmed the High Court, observing that the respondent did not conceal any required information and therefore could not be said to have suppressed material facts; the Tribunal also cannot adjudicate on his fitness for appointment. Consequently, the appeal was dismissed.

Issues considered

Whether non‑disclosure of an arrest or a pending criminal case, when Column 12 of the attestation form only asks about conviction or preventive detention, amounts to suppression of material information leading to disqualification.
Whether the Tribunal was competent to pass a finding on the respondent's fitness for appointment in government service.

Legislation cited

Indian Penal Code, 1860

Subjects

service lawrecruitmentattestation formsuppression of material informationdisqualificationconvictionpreventive detentiongovernment appointment

Judgment

\

> SECY. DEPTT. OF HOME A.P. AND ORS. A
v.
B. CHINNAM NAIDU

FEBRUARY 9, 2005

[ARIJIT PASA YAT AND S.H. KAPADIA, JJ.] B

Service Law:

Recruitment-Attestation Form-Suppression of material information-
Disqualification-Column 12 of Attestation Form requiring for information c
about conviction by a court of law or detention under any Central/State
prevemive detention laws-Candidate not mentioning about his arrest and
pendency of a criminal case against him-Appointment refused-Held,
conviction by a court or detention under any Central/State preventive detention
laws is different from arrest in any case or pendency of a case-Jn view of D
specific language of Column 12 candidate cannot be found guilty of any '
suppression.

Respondent was selected as Stipendiary Cadet Trainee Police
Constable (Civil), but was not allowed to join the required training
programme. He approached the Tribunal. It was brought to the notice E
of the Tribunal that the respondent had been arrested under various
provisions of IPC and Andhra Pradesh Public Examination Preventiou
of Malpractice and Unfair Means Act, 1997, which fact the respondent
suppressed in the Attestation Form, and as such he was not eligible to be
appointed. The Tribunal held that the respondent was not a person of
good conduct and character since he had suppressed material information F
and dismissed the application. However, the High Court allowed
respondent's writ petition holding that there was no requirement in
Column 12 of the Attestation Form to mention about any pending case or
arrest, and, therefore, the action of the authorities could not be sustained.
Aggrieved, the State Government filed the appeal. G
Dismissing the appeal, the Court
~

HELD: I. I. When a candidate suppresses material information and/
or gives false information he cannot claim any right for appointment or
1147 H
1148 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2005] I S.C.R.

A continuance in service. But on the facts of the case, it cann·~t be said that '
the respondent had made false declaration or had suppn~ssed material
information. 11151-FI

1.2. In the instant case, a bare perusal of Columns n and 3 of the
Attestation Form would show that the candidate is required to indicate
B as to whether he has ever been convicted by a court of law or detained
under any State/Central preventive detention laws for any offences,
whether such conviction is sustained or set aside by the app1~1late court, if
appealed against. The candidate is not required to indicate as to whether •
he had been arrested in any case or as to whether any case was pending.
C Conviction by a court or detention under any State/Central Preventive
Detention Laws is different from arrest in any case or pendE:ncy of a case.
By answering that the respondent had not been convicted or detained
under Preventive Detention Laws it cannot be said that he had suppressed
any material fact or had furnished any false information or suppressed
any information in the Attestation Form to incur disqualitkation. There
D was no specific requirement to mention as to whether any ci1se is pending
or whether the applicant had been arrested. In view of the specific
language so far as Column No. 12 is concerned the respond1~nt cannot be
found guilty of any suppression. (1152-B-El

Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan and Ors. v. Ram Raton Yadav, (2003) 3
E SC 437, distinguished.

2. The question whether the respondent was a desirable person to
be appointed in Government service was not the subjei:t matter of
adjudication and the Tribunal was not justified in recordin1: any finding
F in that regard. Whether a person is fit to be appointed or not is a matter
within the special domain of the Government. For denying somebody ...
appointment after he is selected, though he has no right to he appointed,
has to be governed by some statutory provisions. That was not the issue
which was to be adjudicated in the present case. The only issue related
to suppression of facts or mis-declaration. (1152-G-H; 1153·-Al
G
CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION: Civil Appeal No. I014 of2005.

From the Judgment and Order dated 8.9.2003 of the Andhra Pradesh ;..
High Court in W.P.No. I 7943 of 2003.

H Manoj Saxena, S.K. Mittra, Debojit Borkakati and Mohanprasad Meharia
\

SECY. DEPTT. OF HOME SECY. A.P. v. B. C. NAIDU [PASA YAT, J.] 1149

> for the Appellants. A
Ms. Asha Gopalan Nair for the Respondent.

The Judgment of the Court was delivered by

ARIJIT PASA YAT, J. Leave granted. B
Challenge in this appeal is to legality of the judgment of a Division
Bench of the Andhra Pradesh High Court setting aside the order passed by
' the Andhra Pradesh Administrative Tribunal (in short the 'Tribunal') and
holding that authorities were not justified in denying appointment to the
respondent. c
A brief reference to the factual aspects would suffice :

The respondent appeared for the recruitment test conducted for the
selection of Stipendiary Cadet Trainee Police Constable (Civil) in
Visakhapatnam. He was successful in the test and thereafter he was subjected D
to medical test. After the two tests were over, he was required to undergo
training. But he was not sent for training on the ground that the Superintendent
of Police, Visakhapatnam by order dated 5.5.2003 had directed that he was
not to be sent for training. Questioning legality of such order, the respondent
filed an Original Application before the Tribunal. The Tribunal noted that the
examination for selection was conducted on 16.3.2003. Subsequently, he E
underwent the physical test and was successful. By order dated 28.4.2003 the
Superintendent of Police, Visakhapatnam informed the respondent about his
selection and directed him to report at the District Police Office at
Visakhapatnam for further medical test. He was also directed to carry with
him uniforms and other items necessary for training-_ which was organized at F
.,,, Central Police Lines, Amberpet. Though, the respondent was subjected to
medical examination he was not allowed to join the training programme. He
was informed that since he had been arrested in crime No. 28/2000 on the
file of Police Station, Kukatpally, registered under various provisions cf the
Indian Penal Code, 1860 (in short the 'IPC') and Andhra Pradesh Public
Examination Prevention of Malpractice and Unfair Means Act, 1997 he was G
not eligible to be appointed. Before the Tribunal the respondent took tlie
... stand that since he had not been charged and had not been convicted and
since he had no connection with the crime, the order of the Superintendent
of Police was not tenable. His further stand was that the case was registered
in respect of the earlier recruitment test in the year 2000 and there was no H
1150 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [:W05J I S.C.R.

A reason to debar him since there was no conviction, and, therefore, the action
of the authority is not proper. The present appellants filed counter-affidavit
stating that before final verification the respondent was permi1ted to appear
in the examination and the tests. Subsequently, it was noticed that the
respondent herein was arrested on 16.1.2000 and was sent to judicial custody
B in the case referred to above. That case was under investigation and Forensic
Science Laboratory report was awaited. The applicant while submitting
Attestation Form after completion of written examination did not mention
about his arrest and the pending case which he was required to do. Since he
had suppressed the truth in terms of the instructions laid down "n Declaration
at Cl. No. 3, the respondent had incurred disqualification and he was not a
C fit person for employment under the Government. The Tribunal noted that
against Col. No. 12 of the Attestation Form, the respondent had :~ot mentioned
about the pending case and had not even indicated about his arrest. This
amounted to suppression of truth in the Attestation Form and Declaration at
column No.3. Therefore, in terms of the instructions he had incurred
disqualification and was unfit for employment under the Government. The
D Tribunal held that the respondent was not a person of good conduct and
~haracter since he had suppressed material information while filling up the
Attestation Form. He did not deserve any relief. Accordingly the Original
Application was dismissed.

E The matter was challenged before the Andhra Pradesh High Court and
by the impugned judgment it was held that there was no requirement under
Column No. 12 to mention about any pending case or arrest and, therefore,
the action of the authorities, in not permitting the respondent to join the
training, cannot be sustained.

p In support of the appeal the learned counsel appearing on behalf of the
appellants submitted that the Tribunal had correctly held that the respondent
was guilty of suppression of material facts and taking into consideration the
..
conduct and character the Tribunal had rightly held that he was not entitled
to any relief, and High Court should not have interfered with the order.
Reference was made to some cases where this Court has held that giving of
G incorrect reply and suppressing material facts while filling up t 1e Application
1

Form or Attestation Form or Declaration disentitles the candidate for any
relief. Particular reference was made to the case of Kendriya Vidyalaya
Sangathan and Ors. v. Ram Ratan Yadav, [2003] 3 SCC 437.

In response, the learned counsel for the respondent submitted that there
H
\

SECY. DEPTT. OF HOME SECY. A.I'. v. B. C. NAIDU IPASA YAT . .I.] J 151

!'- was no requirement to mention about the arrest or the pending case, therefore, A
High Court's order is perfectly justified.

In Kendriya Vidya/aya Sangalhan 's case (supra) the factual position
can be ascertained from paragraphs 8 and 9 which read as follows :

"8. - The Attestation Fonn dated 26.6. 1998 duly fi!led in by the B
respondent and attestation show that the respondent has taken BA
degree from St. Aloysius College, JBP and Bed and Med degrees
from R. Durgavati Vishwavidyalaya, JBP. Columns 12 and 13 as
filled up read thus :

"I 2. - Have you ever been prosecuted/kept under detention or bound C
down/fined, convicted by a court of law of any offence? - No."

"13. - Is any case pending against you in any court of law at the time
of filling up this Attestation Form?- No."

"9. - The respondent has also certified the infonnation given in the D
said Attestation Fonn as under :

"I certify that the foregoing information is correct and complete to
the best of my knowledge and belief. I am not aware of any
circumstances which might impair my fitness for employment under
Government." E
As is noted in Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangalhan 's case (supra) the object of
requiring infonnation in various columns like Column No. 12 of the Attestation
Form and declaration thereafter by the candidate is to ascertain and verify the
character and antecedents to judge his suitability to enter into or continue in
service. When a candidate suppresses material infonnation and/or gives false F
"' infonnation he cannot claim any right for appointment or continuance in
service. There can be no dispute to this position in law. But on the facts of
the case it cannot be said that the respondent had made false declaration or
had suppressed material infonnation.

In order to appreciate the rival submissions it is necessary to take note G
of Column No. 12 of the Attestation Fonn and Column No.3 of the declaration.
The relevant portions are quoted below :

"Column No.12 - Have you ever been convicted by a court of law or
detained under any State/Central preventive detention laws for any
offence whether such conviction sustained in court of appeal or set H
1152 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2005] I S.C.R.

A aside by the appellate court if appealed against."

"Column No.3 - I am fully aware that furnishing of false information
or suppression of any actual information in the Attestation Form
would be a disqualification and is likely to render me unfit for
employment under the Government."
B
A bare perusal of the extracted portions show that the candidate is
required to indicate as to whether he has ever been convicted by a court of
law or detained under any State/Central preventive detention laws for any
offences whether such conviction is sustained or set aside by the appellate
court, if appealed against. The candidate is not required to indicate as to
C whether he had been arrested in any case or as to whether any case was
pending. Conviction by a court or detention under any State/Central Preventive
Detention Laws is different from arrest in any case or pendency of a case. By
answering that the respondent had not been convicted or detained under
Preventive Detention Laws it cannot be said that he had suppressed any
D material fact or had furnished any false information or suppressed any
information in the Attestation Form to incur disqualification. The State
Government and the Tribunal appeared to have proceeded on the basis that
the respondent ought to have indicated the fact of arrest or pcndency of the
case, though column No. 12 of the Attestation Form did not require such
information being furnished. The learned counsel for the appellants submitted
E that such a requirement has to be read into an Attestation Fonn. We find no
reason to accept such contentiop. There was no specific requirement to mention
as to whether any case is pending or whether the applicant had been arrested.
In view of the specific language so far as Column No. 12 is concerned the
respondent cannot be found guilty of any suppression.
F In Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan 's case (supra), the position was the
reverse. There the candidate took the stand that as there was no conviction,
his negative answers to columns 12 to 13 were not wrong. Thi~' Court did not
accept the stand that requirement was conviction and not prosecution in view
of the information required under columns 12 and 13 as quoted above. The
G requirement was "prosecution" and not "conviction". The logic has application
here. The requirement in the present case is "conviction" and not "prosecution".

The question whether he was a desirable person to be appointed in
Government service was not the subject matter of adjudication and the Tribunal
was not justified in recording any finding in that regard. Wh<!ther a person
H is fit to be appointed or not is a matter within the special domain of the
\

SECY. DEPTT. OF HOME SECY. A.P. v. B. C. NAIDU (PASAYAT, J.]J 153

> Government. For denying somebody appointment after he is selected, though A
he has no right to be appointed, has to be governed by some statutory
provisions. That was not the issue which was to be adjudicated in the present
case. The only issue related to suppression of facts or mis-declaration.

In view of the aforesaid, we find no merit in this appeal which is
accordingly dismissed with no order as to costs. B
R.P. Appeal dismissed.

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