‘Father, son cannot be of different caste’

The Delhi High Court has slammed the CRPF and imposed a fine of R30,000 for denying a job to a man citing discrepancies in his caste certificate while his father, also working with the CRPF, was an OBC. Harish V Nair reports.

The Delhi High Court has slammed the CRPF and imposed a fine of Rs 30,000 for denying a job to a man citing discrepancies in his caste certificate while his father, also working with the CRPF, was an OBC.

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Neeraj Kumar had cleared requisite tests and interview for the post of head constable in 2010 but his appointment was put on hold.

The court also found that Kumar, a resident of Jharkhand, was being harassed even after he managed to procure the necessary certificates after he was told that his caste certificate was “not in the prescribed format”.

Kumar’s lawyer Rekha Palli pointed out that the CRPF could also have considered that his father, a head constable in the force was of ‘sonar’ caste, an OBC, and the son will also be of the same caste.

“We feel that grave and unwarranted injustice has been done to the petitioner,” a bench said.

The court asked CRPF to immediately issue an offer of appointment to Kumar.