- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:36473-DB WP No. 13888 of 2021 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 15TH DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2025 PRESENT THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S.G.PANDIT AND THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE K. V. ARAVIND WRIT PETITION NO. 13888 OF 2021 (S-KSAT) BETWEEN: 1. SHRI. S KRUPANIDHI AGED ABOUT 61 YEARS, S/O S SIDDAPPA (RTD) ASSISTANT CONSERVATOR OF FORESTS R/AT FOREST QUARTERS MOBILE SUB DIVISION ARANYA BHAVAN, ASHOKPURAM MYSURU-570001. 2. SHRI GURANAGOWDA PATIL AGED ABOUT 38 YEARS, S/O SHANKARAGOWDA PATIL WORKING AS RANGE FOREST OFFICER, O/O RANGE FOREST OFFICE QUARTERS, GANDHINAGAR KUSHTAGI KOPPAL DISTRICT-583231. 3. SHRI J HANUMANTHAYYA AGED ABOUT 43 YEARS, S/O G VEERANNA RANGE FOREST OFFICER, RIPPONPETE RANGE, ARASALI HOSANAGAR SHIMOGA DISTRICT-577418. …PETITIONERS (BY SRI. P P HEDGE, SR. ADV. FOR SRI TRIVIKRAMADITHYA AND SRI SHARADI S SHETTY, ADVS.) Digitally signed by MARIGANGAIAH PREMAKUMARI Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:36473-DB WP No. 13888 of 2021 AND: 1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT, FOREST DEPARTMENT, M S BUILDING BENGALURU-560001. 2. THE KARNATAKA LOKAYUKTA REPRESENTED BY ITS REGISTRAR M S BUILDING BENGALURU-560001. …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. V SHIVAREDDY, AGA FOR R1 SRI VENKATESH S ARBATTI, ADV. FOR R2) THIS PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO QUASH, BY ISSUE OF A WRIT OF CERTIORARI OR ANY OTHER APPROPRIATE WRIT OR ORDER THE IMPUGNED ORDER DATED 07/07/2021 PASSED BY THE TRIBUNAL IN A.NOS. 8866 TO 8868/2018 AND ALSO THE ORDER NO.AA.PAJI.155.AAVEIHEE.2014 DATED 14/1/2015 ISSUED BY THE 1ST RESPONDENT (VIDE ANNEXURE-A4 IN ANNEXURE-A) AND NO.UPLOK-1/DE/33/2015 DATED 16/02/2015 ISSUED BY THE 2ND RESPONDENT (VIDE ANNEXURE-A5 IN ANNEXURE-A) AS NULL AND VOID WITH ALL CONSEQUENTIAL BENEFITS IN SO FAR AS THE PETITIONERS ARE CONCERNED AND ETC. THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S.G.PANDIT AND HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE K. V. ARAVIND - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:36473-DB WP No. 13888 of 2021 ORAL ORDER (PER: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S.G.PANDIT) Learned senior counsel Sri.P.P.Hegde on behalf of learned counsel Sri.Trivikramadithya and Sri.Sharadi S. Shetty, learned counsel for the petitioners appears through video conference and after arguing the matter for sometime, learned senior counsel would submit that the petitioners be permitted to withdraw the writ petition with liberty to appear before the Enquiry Officer. Further, learned senior counsel would pray for a direction to the Enquiry Officer to complete the enquiry within a reasonable time. 2. Submission of the learned senior counsel is placed on record. 3. Writ petition is dismissed as withdrawn. 4. However, the Enquiry Officer is directed to complete the enquiry within a period of six months from - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:36473-DB WP No. 13888 of 2021 the date of appearance of the petitioners, subject to co-operation by the petitioners. 5. The petitioners shall appear before the Additional Registrar (Enquiries-8), Karnataka Lokayukta, Bengaluru on 09.10.2025. SD/- (S.G.PANDIT) JUDGE SD/- (K. V. ARAVIND) JUDGE NC CT:bms List No.: 1 Sl No.: 6