2025:CGHC:25043 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR WPS No. 4837 of 2025 Gangadhar Sahu S/o Shri Kalaram Sahu Aged About 42 Years Occupation- Service, Presently Posted As Parichalak Grade- 2, Office Of Assistant Engineer Mungeli Zone, Chhattisgarh, State Power Distribution Company Ltd. Mungeli, R/o Village Leelapur, Police Outpost- Chilphi, Thana- Lormi, District Mungeli, Chhattisgarh. ... Petitioner(s) versus 1 - The Chhattisgarh State Power Distribution Company Limited Through Its Managing Director, Daganiya, Raipur, District Raipur, Chhattisgarh. 2 - Executive Engineer (Circle) Chhattisgarh State Power Distribution Company Limited, Bilaspur, District Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh. 3 - Assistant Engineer Chhattisgarh State Power Distribution Company Limited, Mungeli Zone, District Mungeli, Chhattisgarh. 4 - Junior Engineer Chhattisgarh State Power Distribution Company Limited, Lormi District Mungeli, Chhattisgarh. ... Respondents (Cause title is taken from the CIS) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ For Petitioner : Shri Rajendra Patel, Advocate For Respondents : Shri Mayank Chandrakar, Advocate ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Hon'ble Shri Justice Ravindra Kumar Agrawal Order on Board 17.06.2025 1. Limited grievance of the petitioner in the present petition is, for a direction to the respondent authorities to conclude the DE (Departmental Enquiry) against the petitioner, which is pending since 10.06.2021 till date, as the same has not been concluded. 2. Petitioner has prayed for the following reliefs in the petition: Digitally signed by V PADMAVATHI Date: 2025.06.19 18:45:27 +0530 Wps 4837 of 2025 2 10.1 That this Hon’ble Court may kindly be pleased to issue an appropriate writ by commanding and directing the respondents authority to conclude the departmental enquiry against the petitioner which is pending since 10.06.2021. 10.2 That, this Hon’ble Court may kindly be pleased to direct the respondents to consider and decide the representation of the petitioner which relates to closure of the departmental enquiry based on acquittal in criminal case. 10.3 Any other relief, which this Hon’ble Court may deem fit and proper, may also be passed in favour of the petitioner together with cost of the petition. 3. Learned counsel for the petitioner would submit that the petitioner is an employee of the Chhattisgarh State Power Distribution Company Limited, and by order dated 04.08.2020, he was kept under suspension, attached him in the Office of Mungeli, and DE was initiated against him. On 31.07.2020, an incident took place, and one Neelam Banjara received injury by electrocution, and offence under Section 308 of the IPC was registered against the petitioner. Ultimately, a Criminal Case was registered against him, and he faced the Session Trial No.29 of 2021 at the Additional Sessions Judge, Mungeli, which was decided on 18.03.2024, and the petitioner was acquitted from the alleged offence. During pendency of the criminal case against the petitioner, DE was initiated but the same has not been concluded till date. Therefore, the respondent authorities may be directed to conclude the DE as early as possible, within a reasonable time frame. 4. On the other hand, learned counsel for the respondents would submit on instructions that as the petitioner has been acquitted from the offence from the Wps 4837 of 2025 3 criminal case, the respondent authorities are willing to conclude the DE as early as possible, within a period of 90 days from today. 5. In view of submissions made by learned counsel for the parties, and also the statement made by learned counsel for the respondents, it would be appropriate to issue such direction, and accordingly, respondents are directed to conclude the DE pending against the petitioner within 90 days on its own merits, from the date of production of copy of this order, after providing opportunity of hearing to the parties. 6. Petitioner is directed to submit a copy of this order to the respondent authorities within a week from today. 7. With the aforesaid observation, petitions stands disposed of. Sd/- (Ravindra Kumar Agrawal) JUDGE padma