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A Travelling Ticket Examiner (TTE) accused of taking a Rs 50 bribe while inspecting tickets on a train has been acquitted after a prolonged legal battle. The case, which has spanned 37 years and moved from the tribunal to the Supreme Court, saw the TTE cleared of all charges. Unfortunately, he passed away before the final judgement was delivered. The Supreme Court stated that the charges could not be proven and ordered that his legal heirs be provided with pension and other financial benefits within three months. The incident dates back to May 31, 1988, when a railway vigilance team accused the TTE of accepting a Rs 50 bribe from three passengers. An investigation revealed an extra Rs 1254 in his possession and irregularities in his duty card. Consequently, a chargesheet was filed in 1989, leading to his dismissal in 1996. In 2002, the Central Administrative Tribunal overturned the dismissal and ordered his reinstatement. However, the railway authorities challenged this decision in the Bombay High Court, which nullified the tribunal’s order in 2017. Finally, in 2025, the Supreme Court overturned the High Court’s decision, affirming that the bribery allegations were unsubstantiated as one passenger was not investigated and the other two did not confirm the accusations. The court upheld the tribunal’s original decision, deeming the penalty cancellation justified.
