Is My 4-Year Employment Bond Valid Without a Stamp Paper Signature?

I have signed a bond for 4 years with a compensation of 10 lakhs. However, I have not signed on any stamp paper. Is this kind of bond valid if I resign?

Hi, Not sure what type of bond you had signed? Whether it is an indemnity bond or some training agreement? If the company had spent money towards training you in some software or special skills, then the company might initiate disciplinary action asking you for compensation for the loss incurred.

Before Signing Any Document
Before signing any document, whether it is an appointment order or any bond of any nature, please go through it fully and ensure whether you will be able to fulfill the terms in the long run before signing it.

Leaving the validity of bonds/agreements aside, in case of any dispute, the employer can harass you through legal notices and legal proceedings, which will be an unwanted pain for you.

Even if you signed anything on a stamp paper, unless it is registered, it does not have any legal validity—such stamp paper is as good as a blank paper. Please share more details so that senior members who are experts in legal matters can put forward their views.

It is a PDF in which it is mentioned that it is a contract of agreement, which includes CTC details, rules and regulations, and more. They have not provided any special training, only knowledge transfer sessions (KT) with tutors. I have not signed any bond paper or stamp paper; instead, I ticked a link to indicate my agreement and then typed my name in the provided space.

After going to the office, I did not sign any documents. During my internship, the actual work had not started when I decided to leave the company due to mental health reasons. I provided medical records showing my anxiety issue.

I have couriered the laptop and charger back to the company.

Now, they have emailed my personal email address, stating they will send a legal notice for absconding.

Hi, hopefully, there will not be any legal implications. However, communicate with them in writing, including medical records regarding your separation. Also, mention that you have returned the company laptop and charger. Make sure you have proof of the courier service. Otherwise, they might manipulate the situation and falsely claim that you absconded with the company laptop.

The bond is not legally enforceable unless the employer has provided you with some special or specialized training incurring extra expenditure.

To my knowledge, an employment bond is not compulsorily registrable. However, an agreement or bond is required to be executed on stamp paper of appropriate value as notified by the respective authorities. Such documents deficient in stamp duty would not be accepted as evidence if the deficit is not corrected along with a penalty (which could be more than ten times the deficit value).