1 2025:CGHC:21821 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR WPS No. 3113 of 2025 1 - Dr. Ashok Kumar Soni S/o Shyamlal Soni Aged About 56 Years Formerly Posted As Vaterinary Assistant Surgeon, Veterinary Hospital, Surajpur, District - Surajpur (C.G.), At Present R/o Village - Buda Bagicha, Tahsil - Rajpur, Police Station - Rajpur, District Balrampur-Ramanujganj (C.G.) ... Petitioner(s) versus 1 - The State Of Chhattisgarh Through The Secretary, Department Of Veterinary Services, Mahanadi Bhawan, Atal Nagar, Nawa Raipur, District - Raipur (C.G.) 2 - The State Of Chhattisgarh Through Agricultural Production Commissioner And Secretary, (A.P.C. And Secretary), Department Of Agriculture And Farmers Welfare And Biotechnology (Extension, Horticulture, Animal, Husbandry And Fisheries), Mahanadi Bhawan, Atal Nagar, Nawa Raipur, District - Raipur (C.G.) 3 - Director Veterinary Services, Indravati Bhawan, Atal Nagar, Nawa Raipur, District - Raipur (C.G.) 4 - Joint Director Veterinary Services, Surguja Division, Ambikapur, District - Surguja (C.G.) 5 - Deputy Director Veterinary Hospital, Surajpur, District - Surajpur (C.G.) ... Respondent(s) For Petitioner(s) : Mr. Rishikant Mahobia, Advocate. For Respondent(s) : Ms. Pragya, Shrivastava, Dy. Govt. Advocate. 2 Hon’ble Shri Justice Ravindra Kumar Agrawal, J. Order on Board 09/05/2025 1. The petitioner has filed the present petition with the following prayer: "10.1 That, this Hon'ble Court may kindly be pleased to issue an appropriate writ, order or direction, thereby directing the Respondents to reinstate the Petitioner, Dr. Ashok Kumar Soni, to the post of Veterinary Assistant Surgeon or any other equivalent post, forthwith, in light of the clean acquittal granted by this Hon'ble Court in Criminal Appeal No. 1524/2017 vide judgment dated 08.05.2024; 10.2 That, this Hon'ble Court may further be pleased to direct the Respondents to grant all consequential service and monetary benefits to the Petitioner, including continuity of service, seniority, arrears of salary, annual increments, and retirement benefits alongwith interest as if the dismissal had never taken place. 10.3 Any other relief, deemed fit in the present facts and circumstances of this case may also be awarded to the Petitioner." 2. Learned counsel for the petitioner would submit that the petitioner was charge-sheeted in Crime No. 03/2014 registered as Police Station Anti Corruption Bureau, Raipur for the offence under Section 7, 13(1)(d) and 13(2) of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. He faced trial of the Criminal Case No. 01/2015 before the learned Special Judge (Prevention of Corruption Act) Surajpur and vide its judgment dated 13.09.2017 he was 3 convicted for the alleged offences and sentenced for RI for 03 years and RI for 04 years respectively. The petitioner has filed an appeal before this Court vide Criminal Appeal No. 1524/2017 and the said criminal appeal was decided on 08.05.2024 and the petitioner has been acquitted from the alleged offences. In the meantime, the petitioner was terminated after his conviction from the learned trial Court, vide order 14.11.2017 and after his acquittal from this Court, he moved an application for reinstatement of his services on 24.05.2024 by submitting his representation before the department and reminder representation dated 30.08.2024. Another reminder he has submitted on 17.04.2025 and despite repeated reminder the department has not taken any action on his representation and he is still out of service despite having been acquittal from the criminal charges, therefore, the authorities may be directed to consider the case of the petitioner and to decide his representation as early as possible. 3. On the other hand, learned counsel for the State though opposes the submissions made by learned counsel for the petitioner, however, she could not dispute if any direction is to be passed to the authorities concerned to decide representation within stipulated period in accordance with law. 4. Considering the submissions made by learned counsel for the petitioner and further that the representation is pending before the respondent No.2 dated 24.05.2024, 30.8.2024 and 17.04.2025, the respondent No. 2 is directed to decide the representation of the petitioner in accordance with law within 02 months from the date of receipt of the copy of this order. 5. With the aforesaid observation, the present petition is disposed of. Sd/- (Ravindra Kumar Agrawal) Judge Alok ALOK SHARMA Digitally signed by ALOK SHARMA Date: 2025.05.13 14:32:35 +0530