RANCHI, May 10 -- In a significant ruling aimed at preserving the integrity of public service, the Supreme Court of India set aside a Jharkhand High Court order that had reinstated a constable accused of maintaining two separate identities to hold jobs in both the Jharkhand and Bihar police forces simultaneously.

The case dates back to 2005 when Ranjan Kumar was appointed as a constable in the Jharkhand Police. In December 2007, while serving as a Reserve Guard, he went on a two-day compensatory leave but failed to return to duty.

Investigations later uncovered a startling revelation: during his "unauthorised absence," a man identified as Santosh Kumar had allegedly secured a constable's job in the Bihar Police using forged documents. A...