DAULAT SINGH Vs. STATE OF PUNJAB AND OTHERS

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The petitioner while working as Industrial Promotion Officer in the office of District Industries Centre, Amritsar, was booked in a criminal case by the Central Bureaue of Investigation. He retired from service on 30.04.1996 (Annexure P-1). Ultimately, vide judgment dated 22.02.2012 passed by learned Special Judge, C.B.I., New Delhi, acquitted the present petitioner of the charges framed under Sections 120-B IPC read with Section 420, 468, 471 IPC and under Section 5(2) read with Section 5(1)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947. He moved before respondent No.3 on 19.06.2012 with the copy of the judgment for release of his gratuity. The matter was processed and ultimately on 27.11.2013, the sanction was granted for releasing the gratuity. In the present case, the petitioner claims interest on the delayed payment of gratuity from 01.05.1996 to 27.11.2013.

(2.) I have heard learned counsel for the parties and have also carefully gone through the case file.

(3.) The State has taken the stand that under Rule 9.14(c) of the Punjab Civil Services Rules, Volume -II, no gratuity shall be paid to the Government employees, until the conclusion of the departmental enquiry or judicial proceedings pending against him at the time of his retirement and issue of final orders thereon. Hence, there was no delay on the part of the State.