Employee who lost his official laptop. Can we deduct the cost of equipment from his salary?

We have an employee who lost his official laptop. Can we deduct the cost of equipment from his salary?

Has the laptop been signed for?
Was the laptop insured?
Has an domestic enquiry been conducted?
Has FIR been lodged?
Yes you can recover cost of laptop from employee,if he was responsible for the loss due to negligence and proved in enquiry at company level.

If the laptop was stolen then the company shall not deduct the laptop amount from the employee.
How is the employee responsible if someone steals his or her laptop? I think all office equipment shall be insured and the company shall seek a claim from the insurance company.

Learningnovo,
The domestic enquiry will look into this aspect of negligence.
A thing get stolen only when there is neglect in keeping laptop securely.
Any employee can sell his laptop and claim it was stolen.
Circumstances of loss needs to be brought out before attrgibutability of blame comes up.

One of my team members lost his laptop while travelling in the Delhi metro. The metro was so crowded that the CCTV footage also didn’t help. We visited the local police station 5 times. Forget about investigation, the police officials didn’t even launch an FIR. They kept on telling us to come again and again. Ultimately the company deducted the laptop amount from the employee’s salary.

2.5.16.

Hi Nisas, Thanks ur query in CiteHR- reg. Deducting Cost of Laptop from employee.

"NO ONE SHOULD BE CONDEMNED UNHEARED". NATURAL JUSTICE RULES TOBE FOLLOWED. USA insist for Due Process of Law in all matters. Pl.institute a Fair Inquiry Committee and after completion of the Inquiry & as per Enquiry Report; you may decide.

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Don't you guys insure company assets? Check with your finance department and claim for insurance. That's how ethical and progressive companies handle issues in these kind of eventualities

Insuring assets is a step for protecting company assets.But an employee needs to take full care of equipment held on his charge and if he fails he/she has to be penalised after due enquiry with natural justice in mind.
Responsibility is fair and square on employee.
Insurance is protection that is all.