Neutral Citation No. - 2025:AHC:23875 Court No. - 5 Case :- WRIT - A No. - 1322 of 2025 Petitioner :- Gaurav Kumar Respondent :- U.P. Power Corporation Ltd. And 3 Others Counsel for Petitioner :- Abhishek Srivastava,Manu Mishra Counsel for Respondent :- Pranjal Mehrotra Hon'ble Ajay Bhanot,J. Heard Shri Manu Mishra, learned counsel for the petitioner, Shri Abhishek Srivastava, learned counsel assisted by Ms. Kritika Sinha, learned counsel for respondent No. 1 and Shri Pranjal Mehrotra, learned counsel for respondent nos. 2 to 4. The petitioner has been suspended by the impugned order dated 23.02.2024 in contemplation of the departmental inquiry. The departmental inquiry has been initiated. Shri Pranjal Mehrotra, learned counsel for the respondent nos. 2 to 4 submits that the charge-sheet has been served upon the petitioner and the inquiry is on foot. The charges relate to pilferage of materials from the power station and the culpability of the petitioner in that regard. In case the charges are established in a departmental inquiry as per applicable standards of the evidence, it may lead to a major penalty. No interference is warranted in the impugned order of suspension. Faced with this, Shri Manu Mishra, learned counsel for the petitioner recasts his relief and submits that the inquiry proceedings may be concluded within a stipulated period of time. Mr. Abhishek Srivastava, learned counsel assisted by Ms. Kritika Sinha, learned counsel for respondent No. 1 and Mr. Pranjal Mehrotra, learned counsel for respondent Nos. 2 to 4 contend that the endeavour of the authorities is to conclude the inquiry proceedings in an expeditious time frame. In wake of the aforesaid submissions and without going into the merits of the case, interest of justice will be served by directing the disciplinary authority to conclude the inquiry proceedings within a period of six months from the date of receipt of a certified copy of this order. In case, the inquiry is not concluded within the stipulated period of time, the petitioner may approach this Court again by filing a fresh writ petition. In that event, the Court shall also make necessary inquiry into the failure of the department to conduct the inquiry in time. The petitioner is directed to cooperate in the inquiry proceedings. With the aforesaid direction the writ petition is disposed of. Order Date :- 19.2.2025 Kashifa Digitally signed by :- KASHIFA High Court of Judicature at Allahabad