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IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA

CIVIL  APPELLATE JURISDICTION  

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 8641    OF 2010

(Arising out of SLP(C) No.20964/2007)

VEGETABLE VITAMINE FOOD COMPANY LTD.       Appellant(s)

                    :VERSUS:

CHETAN KUMAR DHIRAJLAL GANDHI              Respondent(s)

O R D E R

1. The respondent was working as a Helper with  

the appellant  company. When  the appellant  removed  

him from service, he raised an industrial dispute  

which  was  referred  to  the  Labour  Court  for  

adjudication. The Labour Court passed an award on  

29.12.2000  directing  the   respondent  to  be  

reinstated in service with 50% back-wages.    

2. The  appellant  challenged  the  Labour  Court  

award  before  the  High  Court.  The  learned  Single  

Judge of the High Court by the impugned judgment  

dated  12.07.2007  upheld  the  award  of  the  Labour  

Court and dismissed the writ petition.

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3.  The appellant preferred special leave petition  

before this Court against the judgment of the High  

Court.  

4. Leave granted.

5. We  have  heard  the  learned  counsel  for  the  

parties.

6. During the pendency of this matter, pursuant  

to  the  order  of  this  Court,  the  appellant  had  

deposited  Rs.1.75  lakhs  in  the  Registry  of  this  

Court  which  was  invested  in  fixed  deposit  in  a  

nationalised bank. We direct the Registry to hand  

over that amount, with interest, to the respondent  

Chetan  Kumar  Dhirajlal  Gandhi,  after  proper  

verification.  

7. In the facts and circumstances of this case,  

we  are  of  the  considered  view  that  the  ends  of  

justice would meet if the appellant pays a further  

sum  of  Rs.1  lakh  to  the  respondent  within  three  

weeks  from  today,  in  lieu  of  reinstatement.  We  

direct accordingly.  

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8. The award of the Labour Court and the impugned  

judgment of the High Court are accordingly modified.  

This appeal is disposed of leaving the parties to  

bear their costs.   

.....................J (DALVEER BHANDARI)

.....................J (Dr. MUKUNDAKAM SHARMA)

.....................J (ANIL R. DAVE)

NEW DELHI; OCTOBER 05, 2010.