Mere Registration of FIR Does Not Amount to Misconduct; Increments Cannot Be Withheld on That Basis: Punjab & Haryana High Court

The Punjab and Haryana High Court, in a landmark decision delivered on October 22, 2025, held that the mere registration of a First Information Report (FIR) against an employee cannot be treated as misconduct and therefore cannot justify withholding annual increments. Justice Harpreet Singh Brar observed that annual increments represent an acknowledgment of an employee’s past performance and service and cannot be suspended merely due to an unproven allegation or…