Ravi Malimath, J.—The petitioner is in the business of mining operations. The respondents joined the services of the petitioner company initially as mine workers, and were later promoted as drillers and thereafter as tractor drivers, in the year 1982. That the respondents have been in the services of the petitioner company for almost 25 years as on the date of their dismissal. It is the case of the workmen that on 09.05.1997, they were all called to the Sandur Police Station on the pretext of a clarification that was sought for. They were detained in the police station on false charges that they are involved in a theft case. They were produced before the Judicial Magistrate. Thereafter, they were released on bail. A false case was foisted upon the workmen, on the allegation that some workmen were moving suspiciously with a gunny bag on 17.06.1997 and they were apprehended by the police along with some materials goods which were identified as the goods belonging to the Management. Though the workmen had nothing to do with the so-called seized goods and no complaint was lodged to the police by the Management, they were kept in custody by the police from 09.06.1997 to 17.06.1997.