A woman employee of an Oberoi group flight catering firm,sacked for allegedly stealing a few chocolates meant for air passengers,has been restored her job by the Delhi High Court. Over 11 years after she was sacked in July 2000,a bench of Justice P K Bhasin ordered the woman's reinstatement,setting aside the departmental inquiry findings of Oberoi Flight Services,which caters food and beverages to various airlines for their on-board passengers. While ordering restoration of woman's job,the court also asked the firm to pay 40 percent of her back wages for the period she was out of job. "The petitioner is ordered to be reinstated in service," said Justice Bhasin,ordering restoration of her job. "Since the alleged misconduct of the petitioner (woman) cannot be said to have been established by the respondent,management,this petition deserves to be allowed and is accordingly allowed. "The labour court holding the petitioner guilty of committing theft of eleven chocolates and directing the management to award her appropriate punishment other than dismissal from service is also set aside," the court said. The court gave its judgement on a plea by the woman,who worked as a cutlery packer with Oberoi Flight Services. She had sought quashing of the sacking order and setting aside of labour court findings. It was alleged during a routine check up,the woman,while leaving the work premises on July 20,2000,was caught taking away eleven chocolates,meant for the British Airways passengers.
