The Bombay High Court has recently said that the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) is a place where sensitive work takes place and a person with criminal antecedents cannot be permitted to be apt of it.
The Court, has dismissed a petition filed by an applicant whose job application was rejected at BARC since he did not disclose a criminal case pending against him.
A division bench of Justices Sanjay Gangapurwala and Justice R N Laddha said that honesty and integrity are main requirements for a government job.
The Court in its order said that BARC is the nation’s premier research centre which is engaged in advanced research and development activities of nuclear science.
Anyone who is interested in such institution is expected to have a flawless character and integrity without blemishes. A person with doubtful integrity cannot fit in to the category.
The court in its order said that one is expected to state all the required information honestly. Honesty and integrity are the inherent requirements in public employment.
The bench was hearing plea filed by Swapnil Parab, who had applied for the post of Hospital Work Assistant at BARC in 2016, but had not mentioned about a criminal case pending against him since 2012.
The petitioner was booked under charges voluntary hurt and disturbing public order.
While scrutinising his form, the authorities at the BARC learnt of the pending criminal case against him and, therefore, issued a show cause notice to him in October 2016. Subsequently, his application was rejected.
The Court made a noting that even when the petitioner was aware of the pending case, the petitioner didn’t disclose the same to the concerned authorities.
He said that soon after filing the job application, he was acquitted of the criminal charges.
The bench, however, turned down the same.