- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:5612-DB WP No. 32912 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 30TH DAY OF JANUARY, 2026 PRESENT THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S.G.PANDIT AND THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE K. V. ARAVIND WRIT PETITION NO. 32912 OF 2025 (S-KSAT) BETWEEN: THE KARNATAKA LOKAYUKTA REP. ITS REGISTRAR M.S.BUILDING, BENGALURU-560001. …PETITIONER (BY SRI. VENKATESH S ARBATTI, ADV.) AND: 1. SRI G S SATHISH AGED ABOUT 66 YEARS, RETIRED AS ASSISTANT EXECUTIVE ENGINEER, BELONGS TO IRRIGATION DEPARTMENT, R/AT 1163/1, BANASHANKARI NILAYA, 1ST MAIN, HEMAVATHI NAGARA, HASAAN, HASSAN DISTRICT-570001. 2. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA. REP. BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY, WATER RESOURCE DEPARTMENT (SERVICE-A), M.S. BUILDING, BENGALURU-560001. …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. VIKAS ROJIPURA, AGA FOR R2) THIS PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLE 226 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO CALL FOR THE RECORDS IN A. NO. 846/2024; SET ASIDE THE ORDER DATED 10.09.2024 PASSED BY THE LEARNED KARNATAKA STATE ADMINISTRATIVE TRIBUNAL IN APPLICATION NO. 846/2024 (ANNEXURE-A) AND ETC. Digitally signed by NANJUNDACHARI Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:5612-DB WP No. 32912 of 2025 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 ORAL ORDER (PER: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S.G.PANDIT) Petitioner – Karnataka Lokayukta represented by its Registrar is before this Court questioning the order dated 10.09.2024 in Application No.846/2024 passed by the Karnataka State Administrative Tribunal at Bengaluru (for short, ‘the Tribunal’), allowing respondent’s application, quashing the order of penalty of reducing pension by 10% for a period of five years (Annexure-A). 2. Heard learned counsel Sri.Venkatesh S. Arbatti for petitioner-Lokayukta and learned Additional Government Advocate Sri.Vikas Rojipura for respondent No.2. Perused the entire writ petition papers. 3. A common articles of charge dated 10.06.2020 (Annexure-A2) was issued against nine officials and after - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:5612-DB WP No. 32912 of 2025 enquiry, accepting the report of the Enquiry Officer under impugned order dated 11.12.2023, penalty of withholding of 10% of pension for a period of five years in exercise of its powers under Rule 214(1)(a) of the Karnataka Civil Services Rules was imposed on the first respondent. The said order was the subject matter of the above stated application before the Tribunal. The Tribunal under impugned order, allowed the application and quashed the impugned order of punishment insofar as the first respondent is concerned. 4. As stated above, it was a joint enquiry against nine officials and one of the official i.e., DGO-2 was also before the Tribunal in Application No.2771/2021 and the Tribunal by order dated 20.07.2022 allowed his application and quashed the order of penalty on identical ground that the enquiry is initiated belatedly and no financial loss is caused to the Government. The said order of the Tribunal was the subject matter of W.P.No.19812/2023. This Court - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:5612-DB WP No. 32912 of 2025 by order dated 23.06.2025 dismissed the said writ petition filed by the petitioner-Lokayukta. 5. In the instant case also the tribunal allowed the application on identical grounds. In an identical fact situation in respect of the Co-DGO this Court has already dismissed the writ petition of the Lokayukta, hence we decline to entertain the present writ petition also. 6. The present writ petition also stands disposed of in terms of the order dated 23.06.2025 in W.P.No.19812/2023. Sd/- (S.G.PANDIT) JUDGE Sd/- (K. V. ARAVIND) JUDGE NC CT:bms List No.: 1 Sl No.: 13