Neutral Citation No. - 2025:AHC:103208 Court No. - 5 Case :- WRIT - A No. - 7622 of 2025 Petitioner :- Susheel Kumar Respondent :- Chairman, U.P. Power Corporation Limited And 5 Others Counsel for Petitioner :- Prakhar Saran Srivastava Counsel for Respondent :- Abhishek Srivastava,Kartikeya Saran Hon'ble Saurabh Shyam Shamshery,J. 1. Heard Sri Prakhar Saran Srivastava, learned counsel for petitioner, Sri Abhishek Srivastava, Advocate for Respondents-1 and 2 and Sri Kartikey Saran, Advocate for Respondents-3 to 6. 2. This matter does not require any exchange of pleadings since on face of it, the punishment awarded to petitioner, i.e., withholding of one annual increment with cumulative effect, is disproportionate to the charge and it can be modified to the extent that the same may be for a period of one year only. 3. Aforesaid observation is made on basis of observations made in inquiry report that despite explanation given by petitioner that he was not discharging duty of ledgerisation, was accepted, still in a very cursory manner the charge was found to be proved in part. This error could be cured by Appellate Authority, however, the same was ignored. For reference relevant part of inquiry report is reproduced hereinafter: "सममिमति कका कहनका हहै मक आररोपपी नने स्पष्ट मकयका मक उसकने दकारका तिहैनकातिपी अवधधि कने ददौरकान धसरर अगस्ति 2013 सने मिकारर 2014 तिक हपी मनजपी नलकक प ससंयरोजननों सने सम्बननधिति अननुबनधि ककायर ससंपकामदति मकयका गयका हहै , न मक लनेजरकाईजनेशन कका। जबमक मवमवधि अमग्रिमि वरर 2006-07 सने वरर 2012-13 कने मिद ककी अवधधि कका डकालका गयका हहै। आररोपपी दकारका अपनने उत्तर मिम अपनने ककायकारवधधि मिम अनय मवमवधि ककायकारलयनों एवसं ककायर्यो करो सम्पकामदति करनका , असंमकति मकयका हहै। आररोपपी दकारका मदनकासंक 04.01.2022 करो पनुननः पनेमरति उत्तर मिम भपी उच्रकाधधिककाररयनों करो उक्त कने सम्बनधि मिम पतकारकार मकयने जकानने कका उलनेख मकयका हहै मकनतिनु अद्यतिन उसकरो उत्तर पकाप्त नहहीं हहै। धजसकने सकापनेक्ष उरकानने पतकारकार ककी छकायकापमतियकासं भपी ससंलग्न ककी हहै। आररोपपी कका सकाक्ष्यनों कने आधिकार पर कहनका , उमरति पतिपीति हरो रहका हहै, पनुननः जकाजाँर ककी ककायरवकाहपी ककी जका सकतिपी हहै। मकनतिनु आररोपपी पर लगकायने गयने आररोप सने स्पष्ट हहै मक उसकने दकारका अननुबनधि उपरकानति सम्बननधिति करो लनेजरकाईजनेशन हनेतिनु पपत उपलब्धि करकायने हहै अथवका नहहीं स्पष्ट नहहीं हहै एवसं करोई सकाक्ष्य भपी ससंलग्न नहहीं हहै। अतिनः ससंयरोजननों कका समिय सने लनेजरकाईजनेशन न हरोनका , उसकने मिनुख्य उत्तरदकामयत्व ककी कमिपी करो दशकारतिका हहै। अतिनः आररोपपी करो आसंमशक दरोरपी पकायका जकातिका हहै।" 4. In aforesaid circumstances, the Court is of the view that even if it is found that charge has been proved in part, the punishment so awarded is not proportionate to the charge. 5. In view of above, impugned orders dated 12.08.2024 and 15.03.2025 are modified to the extent of punishment of stoppage of one annual increment for only one year and not permanently. 6. The challenge to order of recovery dated 05.05.2025 is also interfered with a liberty to pass afresh after giving an opportunity of hearing to petitioner. 7. With aforesaid observations/ directions, this writ petition is disposed of. Order Date :- 3.7.2025 AK Digitally signed by :- AWADESH KUMAR High Court of Judicature at Allahabad