An officer’s recent reputation and service history are relevant context

The appellant had served in the judiciary for many years. The judgment noted his long service and previously unblemished record. It referred to the need to consider the reputation in which an officer was held. Past assessments do not make an officer immune from discipline. They are nevertheless relevant to judging an allegation of sudden dishonesty. The authority should not ignore the overall estimation of supervisors. The Court treated this as a salutary guide to administrative judgment. The evidence here did not overcome the concerns about the charge. Nirbhay Singh Suliya v. State of Madhya Pradesh & Anr. | 2026 INSC 7