10.WP4937.2025.odt IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION WRIT PETITION NO. 4937 OF 2025 Sidram Sivrutti Savale & Ors. … Petitioners. Versus The State of Maharashtra & Ors. … Respondents. **** Mr. Satish S. Raut, for the Petitioners. Mr. S.P. Kamble, AGP for Respondent Nos. 1 and 2/State. Ms. Priyanka B. Chavan, for Respondent Nos. 3 to 5 Solapur Z.P. **** CORAM : RAVINDRA V. GHUGE AND ASHWIN D. BHOBE, JJ. DATE : 15th APRIL, 2025 ORAL FINAL ORDER : (Per Ravindra V. Ghuge, J) 1. All the Petitioners are identically placed. The learned Advocate representing the Respondent Zilla Parishad, Solapur, agrees. 2. Rule. Rule made returnable forthwith and heard finally by the consent of the parties. 3. The Petitioners are employees who were working with the Respondent Zilla Parishad and have superannuated from employment. All of them were subjected to recovery of amounts, purportedly for the reason that excess amounts were paid to them, under wrongful revised Talwalkar 1 ARUNA SANDEEP TALWALKAR Digitally signed by ARUNA SANDEEP TALWALKAR Date: 2025.04.19 15:18:55 +0530 10.WP4937.2025.odt pay scales/erroneous revised pay scales, calculated on the basis of acquiring the certificate of MS-CIT, etc. These pay scales were revised more than a decade ago. 4. The grievance of these Petitioners is that recoveries have been initiated against them, from their retirement benefits/pensionary benefits. In some cases, amounts have already been recovered. A chart showing the details of the petitioners, their dates of superannuation, dates of impugned orders and amounts recovered from their retirement benefits/pensionary benefits, is as under : Sr. No. Retired Teacher’s Name Age MS-CIT Amt. Recover y Excess Payment Recovery Retired Date Z.P. School Date Of Impugned Order Permanent Address 1. Sidram Nivrutti Savale 59 45786 3360 31/5/2024 Khups angi Tal. Manga lvedha Dist; Solapu r 6/3/2024 Mundhewadi Tal : Mangalvedh a Dist: Solapur. 2. Alim Hasan Patil 59 64247 16395 31/05/2024 Kachre wadi tal : Manga lvedha Dist : Solapu r 6/3/2024 Lavangi Tal : Mangalvedh a Dist : Solapur 3. Jagannath Sukhdeo Khandekar 63 38295 - 31/05/2019 Fatew adi Tal : Manga lvedha Dist : Solapu r 8/13/2019 Khomnal Tal : mamgalvedh a Dist : Solapur 4. Sunanda suresh kavanale (Late- Suresh Revappa Kavanale ) 50 72790 - 18/3/2023 Dadpu r Tal- Mohol Dist - Solapu r 21/9/2023 Talsani Tal – Mangalvedh a Dist - Solapur Talwalkar 2 10.WP4937.2025.odt 5. Mandakini Shayamrao Kulkarni 62 89276 - 31/05/2020 Manja ri tal -sango la Solapu r 10/8/2020 Sangola Tal – Sangola Dist – Solapur 6. Babasaheb Namdeo Mote 64 28636 - 31/5/2018 Balaw adi Tal – sangol a dist – Solapu r 18/9/2018 Lotewadi Tal – sangola Dist - Solapur 7. Panchappa Siddanna shaval 64 23913 4801 31/5/2018 Shiraw al Tal – S. solapu r Dist - Solapu r 25/7/2018 Shirawal Tal – S. solapur Dist - Solapur 8. Vijaya Atmaram kavitake 60 22262 369267 31/08/2023 Lavan gi tal – S. solapu r Dist _ solapu r 1/1/2024 Samarth Krupa Jule Solapur Dist - solpaur 9. Jyoti Vasantrao kandale 61 47696 1240 30/6/2022 Kaseg aon Tal – S . solapu r Dist - Solapu r 13/4/2023 Vasant Vihar North Solapur 10. Anagha Nilkhanth shinde 59 42369 7810 31/01/2024 Takali tal – karmal a Dist - Solapu r 23/02/202 4 Bhigvan Tal – Indapur Dist - Solapur. 11. Harishchan dra Chanbasap pa Gaikwad 59 41385 10305 31/05/2024 Mangr aul Tal - Akkalk oat Solapu r 3/6/2024 Mangraul Tal - Akkalkoat Solapur 12. Sharanapp a Shivappa Loni 61 67978 142252 31/5/2021 Waghd ari Tal – Akkalk oat Dist - Solapu r 18/9/2021 Waghdari Tal – Akkalkoat Dist - Solapur 13. Ramesh Basanna Tallikar 60 8841 874 30/6/2023 Doddi Tal – Akkalk oat Dist - Solapu r 11/7/2024 Akkalkoat Tal – Akkalkoat Dist - Solapur. 14. Abdul rajjaka a Karim Shaikh 60 29945 11211 31/5/2023 Takali Tal – Karma la Dist - Solapu r 15/3/2024 Akkalkoat Tal – Akkalkoat Dist - Solapur. Talwalkar 3 10.WP4937.2025.odt 15. Suvarna Bhagwat Kevate 62 55916 219946 31/5/2022 Kevate Tal – N . soalpu r Dist - Solapu r 6/3/2023 Vijapur Road Indra Nagar soalpur Dist – Solapur 16. Basavana Baburao kabade 64 47296 - 31/11/2020 Samsh apur Tal – North Solapu r Dist - Solapu r 5/2/2021 Raghavandr a Nagari Vijapur Road Dist - Solapur 17. Surekha Ashok togare 65 36161 1878 31/07/2018 Kardra halli Tal – S solapu r Dist - Solapu r 1/9/2018 Hotagi Road Solapur Dist - Solapur 18. Arjun Amogi Adole 61 50394 30/05/2021 Manru p Tal – S Solapu r Dist - Solapu r 4/7/2021 Mandrup Tal - S. Solapur Dist - Solapur 19. Mahadev Ramchandr a Kasegaone kar 59 71084 - 31/05/2024 Bale Tal – N Solapu r Dist - Solapu r 18/6/2024 Near shyadri school laxmi peth Solapur 20. Jahangir Jafar Tamboli 60 46044 - 28/2/2023 Mohol Tal – Mohol Dist - Solapu r 3/8/2023 Samarth nagar Mohol Tal – Mohol Dist - Solapur. 21. Pushpa Mahadev Revatgav ( Late – Mahadev Chidanand Revatgav ) 50 49828 - 13/3/2023 Bhand arkava te Tal – S . Solapu r Dist - solapu r 14/3/2024 Bhandarkava te Tal – S . Solapur Dist - solapur 22. Sukhdev Hanmant Salagar 64 90864 31/05/2020 Auj Tal – S. Solapu r Dist -Solap ur 17/7/2020 Auj Tal – S. Solapur Dist -Solapur 23. Shetiba Sidram mashale 59 44540 322602 31/5/2024 Bolkav ata Tal – S. Solapu r Dist - Solapu r 20/9/2024 Auj Tal – S. Solapur Dist -Solapur 24. Malan nabilal Nadaf 63 18954 - 31/03/2018 Barur Tal – S .Solap ur Dist - 5/5/2018 Pitapur Road Akkalkoat Tal – akkalkoat Dist - Solapur Talwalkar 4 10.WP4937.2025.odt soalpu r 25. Sunita Subash kaldeep 61 70218 - 31/5/2021 Mandr up Tal – S. Solapu r Dist - solapu r 15/7/2021 Janki Nagar Jule Solapur Dist – Solapur 26. Giridhar Apparao Birajdar 59 47194 - 31/05/2024 Hanm gaon Tal – S. Solapu r Dist - Solapu r 13/8/2024 Shirpanhalli Tal – S. Solapur Dist - Solapur 27. Shreeshali rachayya swami 60 193177 31/05/2023 Halah alli Tal – Akkalk oat Dist – Solapu r 8/8/2023 Halahalli Tal – Akkalkoat Dist – Solapur 28. Sumitra Shivanand aralikar ( Handage ) ( late – Shivanad MallappaAr alikar Handage ) 65 44107 18/8/2023 Arali Tal – Akkalk oat Dist - Solapu r 28/2/2024 Arali Tal – Akkalkoat Dist - Solapur 29. Usha Manohar Surwase 61 47339 31/07/2022 Majare wadi Tal – N . Solapu r Dist - Solapu r 16/12/202 2 Majarewadi Tal – N . Solapur Dist - Solapur 30. Smitra Shivanand Arlikar 65 33906 572 30/10/2018 Arali Tal – Akkalk oat Dist - Solapu r 4/11/2018 Arali Tal – Akkalkoat Dist - Solapur 31. Surekha Nandkumar Kangale 64 47696 - 31/5/2019 Kumbh ari ( Girls) Tal – South Solapu r Dist - Solapu r 22/5/2019 Arali Tal – Akkalkoat Dist - Solapur 32. Sanjay Mahadev Mandole 59 36754 33999 31/05/2024 Naray anevas ti ( Hatt ur ) Tal – S. Solapu r Dist - Solapu 13/6/2024 Kamalanaga r Nehru Road Solapur Dist – Solapur Talwalkar 5 10.WP4937.2025.odt r 33. Annapurna Pradeep Mandole 62 47,37 9 - 31/05/2024 Navadi g, N- Solapu r, dist- solapu r 15/10/202 4 Dawat Chowk, Jule Solapur, tal and Dist Solapur 34. Kashinath Basavanap pa Zampa 59 38,63 6 14,714 31/01/2024 Nandr al , Akkalk ot , Dist- Sola[p ur 23/02/202 4 Akkalkot , Tal- Akkalkot, Dist- Solapur 35. Dilip Narayan Kulkarni 62 48,06 0 - 31/05/2020 Kumbh ari, S. Solapu r, Dist- Solapu r 21/10/202 0 62/2, Simla Nagar , tal – Vijapur Road , Solapur 36. Shivputra Chandram Mundewadi 63 7782 3328 20/06/2017 Hilli Akkalk ot, Dist- Solapu r 30/06/201 7 Khanapur, Mhaisalane, Tal- Akkalkot, Solapur 37. Sanjivani Nagnath Surwase 63 20,24 1 1240 20/03/2018 Hotgi, S. Solapu r, Dist- Solapu r 31/03/201 8 60/61, Mantri Chandak Vihar, Hotgi Rd. Tal and Dist- Solapur \ 5. We have considered the strenuous submissions of the learned Advocates. It is, however, undisputed that none of these Petitioners had played any fraud or were personally involved in wrongful revision of their pay scales or orchestrating wrongful revision by manipulating the record. There is no allegation of fraud or deceit against any of them. No undertaking was acquired from them as and when the revised pay scale become payable. In some cases, at the stroke of retirement, a condition was imposed that they should execute an undertaking and in these coercive circumstances, that undertaking were extracted from some of them. Talwalkar 6 10.WP4937.2025.odt 6. The learned Advocate representing the Zilla Parishad as well as the learned AGP, submit that once an undertaking is executed, the case of the Petitioners would be covered by the law laid down by the Hon'ble Supreme Court in High Court of Punjab and Haryana and others vs. Jagdev Singh, 2016 AIR (SCW) 3523. Reliance is placed on the judgment delivered by this Court on 1st September, 2021, in Writ Petition No. 13262 of 2018 filed by Ananda Vikram Baviskar Vs. State of Maharashtra and others. 7. We have referred to the law laid down by the Hon'ble Supreme Court in High Court of Punjab and Haryana and others vs. Jagdev Singh (supra). However, the record reveals that no undertaking was taken from these Petitioners when the pay scales were revised. The undertakings from some of them were taken at the stroke of their retirement. 8. An undertaking has to be taken from the candidate on the day the revised pay scale is made applicable to him and the payment commences. At the stroke of superannuation of the said employee, asking him to tender an undertaking, practically amounts to an afterthought on the part of the employer and a mode of compelling the Talwalkar 7 10.WP4937.2025.odt candidate to execute an undertaking since they are apprehensive that their retiral benefits would not be released until such undertaking is executed. Such an undertaking will not have the same sanctity of an undertaking executed when the payment of revised pay scale had commenced. We, therefore, respectfully conclude that the view taken in High Court of Punjab and Haryana and others vs. Jagdev Singh (supra), would not be applicable to the case of these Petitioners, more so since the recovery is initiated after their superannuation. 9. Taking into account that these Petitioners were not involved in any mischief, fraud or deceit in orchestrating their wrongful pay revision, the law laid down by the Hon'ble Supreme Court in Syed Abdul Qadir vs. State of Bihar and others, 2009 (3) SCC 475 and State of Punjab and other vs. Rafiq Masih (White Washer) etc. (2015) 4 SCC 334 = AIR 2015 SC 696, would apply to this case. 10. The Writ Petition is partly allowed. The impugned orders are quashed and set aside. The amounts due and payable to the Petitioners, as well as to the widows and other legal heirs, if that is the case, after the superannuation of the said employees/death of the employees, would be paid to these Petitioners or their widows or other legal heirs, if that is the case, within a period of 90 days. Talwalkar 8 10.WP4937.2025.odt 11. The learned Advocate for the Petitioners submits, on instructions, that the Petitioners would not claim any interest on the amount which has already been recovered from them, to the extent of it’s repayment. In view thereof, if the amounts are not paid within 90 days, interest at the rate of Rs.5% p.a. from the date of this order, will be paid. (ASHWIN D. BHOBE, J.) (RAVINDRA V. GHUGE, J.) Talwalkar 9