920.WP-2520-2025.odt IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION WRIT PETITION NO.2520 OF 2025 Krushna s/o. Hambirrao Gavhane & Ors. ….Petitioners Versus The State of Maharashtra and Ors. ….Respondents WITH (NOT ON BOARD) WRIT PETITION (STAMP) NO.2047 OF 2021 Rajaram S/o. Maruti Chavan and Ors. ….Petitioners Versus The State of Maharashtra and Ors. ….Respondents ---- Mr. S.B. Sontakke for the Petitioners. Mr. V.G. Badgujar, AGP for the State. Ms. Priyanka B. Chavan for Solapur Zilla Parishad. ---- CORAM : RAVINDRA V. GHUGE & ASHWIN D. BHOBE, JJ. DATE : 28th FEBRUARY, 2025 P.C. :- 1. Writ Petition (Stamp) No.2047 of 2021, is not on board. On request and consent of the parties, taken on board. 2. A small issue falls for our consideration. Whether all these Petitioners, who have retired from service and are in the Class- III category, could be subjected to recovery of amounts on the ground that the said amounts were paid as travelling allowance Gauri Gaekwad 1 of 6 GAURI AMIT GAEKWAD Digitally signed by GAURI AMIT GAEKWAD Date: 2025.03.03 10:43:19 +0530 920.WP-2520-2025.odt and they were not entitled for the same. Such travelling allowance was paid from 1995 onwards till their superannuation. 3. The service details of all these Petitioners, in both the Petitions, by way of a read reference chart, as under : WRIT PETITION NO.2520 OF 2025 Sr. No. Name of the Petitioner Date of Appointm- ent Dates of Promotion as kendrapra- mukh/ Travelling allowances paid from Dates of Superann- uation 1 Krushna S/o Hambirrao Gavhane 01.01.1987 30.06.2015 30.04.2019 2 Hanif S/o A. Rahiman Mulla 20.01.1984 27.02.2018 30.05.2018 3 Narayan S/o Govindrao Gholap 19.01.1984 07.12.2005 31.05.2016 4 Bhausaheb S/o Dattatray Kulkarni 01.01.1997 30.06.2005 31.05.2017 5 Rajshree Sandipan Mane @ Rajshree Shahu Sonawane 20.01.1984 28.11.1997 28.02.2019 6 Kundlik S/o Namdev Shelake 08.01.1985 17.12.2009 30.06.2017 7 Pradipkumar S/o Vasant Upalekar 23.01.1984 14.12.2009 31.07.2018 8 Bhagyashri W/o Pradeepkumar Upalekar 08.07.1985 30.06.2015 31.05.2017 9 Shantappa S/o Nirwani Arkeri 09.01.1986 29.06.2015 31.05.2019 10 Nirmala W/o Shripati Kulkarni 20.01.1984 20.06.2008 30.07.2019 Gauri Gaekwad 2 of 6 920.WP-2520-2025.odt 11 Lalita Bhimashankar Dhuttaragi 19.01.1984 31.12.2007 30.07.2019 12 Raosaheb S/o Yedaba Bhalerao 08.07.1985 10.06.1995 31.05.2019 13 Siddhappa S/o Ramchandra Mhetre 25.01.1984 18.03.2010 31.05.2016 14 Avinash S/o Ganpat Kale 05.07.1985 10.08.2008 31.07.2016 WRIT PETITION (STAMP) NO.2047 of 2021 Sr. No. Name of the Petitioner Date of Appointm- ent Dates of Promotion as kendrapra- mukh/ Travelling allowances paid from Dates of Superann- uation 1 Rajaram S/o Maruti Chavan 20.01.1984 06.06.2008 31.05.2021 2 Namdev S/o Tatyaba Bhosale 16.01.1984 09.03.2010 31.05.2022 3 Arun S/o Ramling Tikate 20.01.1984 16.10.2008 31.05.2021 4 Shrihari S/o Dadarao Gaikwad 27.12.1985 26.01.2000 31.05.2021 5 Mahadeo S/o Laxman Shinde 14.03.1989 02.01.1995 31.11.2023 6 Dhanaji S/o Shahaji Jadhawar 18.02.1999 18.02.1999 IN SERVICE 7 Sudhir S/o Govind Nachane 29.06.1985 30.08.2014 31.05.2021 8 Harshvardhan S/o Govind Nachane 29.06.1985 05.08.2013 31.05.2023 9 Vishnu S/o Channappa Dhotre 21.01.1986 30.11.2005 31.05.2024 10 Kantilal S/o Bhimrav Uravane 29.06.1985 30.06.2015 31.05.2022 11 Sayara Chandkhan Mulani 09.07.1985 02.06.2015 30.06.2023 12 Shailaja Bhagwan 07.07.1985 30.08.2014 31.05.2023 Gauri Gaekwad 3 of 6 920.WP-2520-2025.odt Mane 13 Nanda Samadhan Narute 16.01.1984 24.10.2008 31.05.2021 14 Meera Krishna Gaikwad 01.01.1984 24.06.2008 31.05.2021 15 Chhaya Pandurang Pawar 21.12.1986 30.12.2008 31.01.2022 16 Vijayalaxmi Sudhir Parbatrao 25.02.2003 25.02.2003 31.05.2021 17 Asha Anand Mohikar 08.07.1985 08.08.2013 31.05.2022 18 Bhimrao S/o Laxman Dhadake 01.06.1985 01.06.1995 IN SERVICE 19 Baburao S/o Narayan Chavan 17.01.1986 27.11.2000 IN SERVICE 20 Harishchandra S/o Chanbasappa Gaikwad 21.02.1986 02.06.2015 31.05.2021 21 Shivaji S/o Tukaram Shinde 16.11.1989 13.03.2003 IN SERVICE 22 Sidram S/o Ramchandra Waghamode 26.06.1990 07.11.2003 IN SERVICE 23 Devidas S/o Manik Waghmode 13.03.1995 07.11.2003 IN SERVICE 24 Asha Mallinath Nadagire 02.01.1986 02.06.2015 31.01.2022 25 Shantappa S/o Malakappa Sadarkhed 25.04.1990 13.11.1997 IN SERVICE 26 Babusha S/o Dhareappa Koli 14.09.1993 28.02.2003 IN SERVICE 27 Shankar S/o Narayan Jadhav 06.01.1986 04.05.1996 31.05.2022 28 Shrishail S/o Irayya Swami 17.01.1986 02.06.2015 31.05.2022 29 Shivayya S/o Chandrashekharayya Swami 19.03.1989 07.01.1997 14.10.2022 30 Kunda Rajesh Rajguru 01.06.1995 01.06.1995 31.03.2024 31 Nagnath S/o Kallayya Swami 16.11.1989 08.06.1995 IN SERVICE 32 Chandrakant S/o Dattatraya Khule 05.06.1984 07.08.2013 31.05.2023 Gauri Gaekwad 4 of 6 920.WP-2520-2025.odt 33 Mangaldevi Limba Shinde 05.07.1985 29.06.2015 31.05.2022 4. The learned Advocate for the Zilla Parishad and the learned AGP have vehemently opposed this Petition. They submit that the money paid to the Petitioners belongs to the tax payer and, therefore, it cannot be mis-utilised. The learned Advocate for the Petitioners submits that though the money belongs to the tax payer, they are not guilty of misrepresentation or deceit or a fraud in receiving such travelling allowance. The Zilla Parishad paid them the travelling allowance as per the approved Rules. It was for the Zilla Parishad to consider whether such Rules were applicable to the Petitioners or not. After their superannuation, as per the dates mentioned in the chart, recoveries cannot be initiated in the light of the law laid down by the Hon’ble Supreme Court in Syed Abdul Qadir vs. State of Bihar and others1 and State of Punjab and other vs. Rafiq Masih (White Washer) etc.2 5. Considering the above and the law laid down in the judgments cited, we find that the submissions of the learned Advocate for the Petitioners are well placed. Post retirement, such 1 2009 (3) SCC 475 2 (2015) 4 SCC 334 Gauri Gaekwad 5 of 6 920.WP-2520-2025.odt amounts could not have been recovered and more so, that none of these Petitioners are alleged to have played a fraud in receiving such travelling allowance. 6. In view of the above, both these Petitions are allowed. 7. Since no order was passed by the Zilla Parishad for carrying out any recovery, save and except, that the retiral benefits of the Petitioners have been withheld, we direct that the said benefits shall be released within a period of 60 days from today along with interest at the rate of 6% p.a. If the retiral benefits are not released within 60 days from today, the rate of interest would increase to 8% p.a. and the interest component would be recovered from the salary of the officer, who is responsible for the disbursement of such amounts. (ASHWIN D. BHOBE, J.) (RAVINDRA V. GHUGE, J.) Gauri Gaekwad 6 of 6