Authority: Supreme Court of India
Order Date: 06-10-2026
Case Overview
- Petition for Special Leave to Appeal (C) No. 33893/2026 filed by Raju Pundalik Ahire against John Deere (L) Pvt. Ltd., arising from the impugned final judgment and order dated 07-07-2026 in WP No. 8198/2026 of the High Court of Judicature at Bombay.
- Interim Applications IA No. 292757/2026 (exemption from filing C/C of the impugned judgment) and IA No. 292759/2026 (exemption from filing O.T.) were listed on 05-10-2026.
- The matter was heard before Hon'ble Mr. Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and Hon'ble Mr. Justice Atul S. Chandurkar.
- Counsel for the petitioner, Mr. Anand Dilip Landge and Mr. Mahadji Phalke, argued that the charge of theft was not framed against the petitioner and that the case against the petitioner amounted to a loss of faith by management.
- They contended that the penalty imposed was harsh and disproportionate.
Order
1. The Court noted that the charge of theft was not levied against the petitioner; the grievance pertained to a loss of faith by management.
2. The Court observed that, in the circumstances, the penalty imposed on the petitioner was harsh and disproportionate.
3. The Court directed that a notice be issued, returnable on 06.01.2027.
Final Outcome
- The Supreme Court issued a notice to the parties, setting the return date for 6 January 2027, thereby allowing further submissions on the merits of the appeal.
Topics: Legal Appeal, Penalty Disproportionate