Valsala Venugopal Menon v. Chunilal Mulchand and Co.
Case brief
What is this about?
Writ Petition No.3600 of 2024, Bombay High Court (OOCJ), decided 3 February 2026, Sandeep V. Marne, J. Challenge under Article 227 of the Constitution of India to Part-I Award dated 19 April 2023 of First Labour Court, Mumbai holding enquiry fair and proper and Enquiry Officer's findings not perverse. Petition rejected: Petitioner had voluntarily declined to examine witnesses beyond her own deposition (enquiry sittings of 10/16/19 December 2009 and 10 May 2010), cross-examined all Management witnesses, natural justice followed; 78-page Enquiry Officer report showed no perversity. Balance reference issues left to Tribunal uninfluenced by these findings.
What did the court decide?
Though the Petitioner had every opportunity to lead evidence of her witnesses, she categorically stated before the Enquiry Officer that beyond examining herself she did not desire to examine any other witness; the enquiry proceedings of 10 December 2009, 16 December 2009, 19 December 2009 and 10 May 2010 clearly indicate this.