Date of reserved for orders : Date of pronouncement :09-07-2026 Date of uploading : APHC010365572025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI (Special Original Jurisdiction) [3460] THURSDAY, THE 9th DAY OF JULY 2026 PRESENT THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE NYAPATHY VIJAY WRIT PETITION NO: 18805/2025 Between: V Ramesh ...PETITIONER AND The Ap Eastern Power Distribution Company Ltd and Others ...RESPONDENT(S) Counsel for the Petitioner: 1. B.ABHAY SIDDHANTH MOOTHA Counsel for the Respondent(S): 1. V V SATISH (SC for APEPDCL) The Court made the following: 2 THE HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE NYAPATHY VIJAY W.P.No.18805 of 2025 O R D E R: The present Writ Petition is filed questioning the action of the respondents in not considering the case of the Petitioner for promotion to the post of Line Man on the ground of pendency of criminal case and departmental enquiry and non sanctioning and releasing the increments due to the Petitioner as illegal and arbitrary. 2. The Petitioner is working as an Assistant Lineman in the Respondent Corporation. While so, a criminal case was registered against the Petitioner on 27.03.2023 for offences punishable under Section 7(a) of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018, by the Anti-Corruption Bureau. It is stated that the police, after investigation, filed a charge sheet in the said case in January, 2026. The allegation against the Petitioner is that the Petitioner is alleged to have admitted and accepted a bribe amount of Rs. 15,000/-. Basing on the said trap, a Departmental Enquiry was also issued against the Petitioner by the Respondent Corporation. 3. During the course of arguments, the learned counsel for the Petitioner restricted his prayer to the granting of annual increments due to the Petitioner, which are pending on account of the criminal case and Departmental Enquiry. To support his contentions, the learned counsel for the Petitioner relied upon the Order passed by this Court in W.P. No. 241 of 2025, dated 18.06.2026. 4. Learned Standing Counsel appearing for the Respondents 3 submits that the case of the Petitioner would be examined as per his entitlement and appropriate orders would be communicated to the Petitioner. 5. Heard the learned counsels. 6. As the learned counsel for the Petitioner is seeking only the annual increments due to the Petitioner, the same can be granted notwithstanding the pendency of the criminal case and departmental enquiry, in view of the judgment of this Court in W.P. No. 241 of 2025, dated 18.06.2026, whereunder individuals who are similarly placed as the Petitioner are granted annual increments pending the criminal case and departmental proceedings. 7. Accordingly, the Writ Petition is disposed of with the following directions: i) The Respondents are directed to consider the case of the Petitioner for grant of annual increments notwithstanding the pendency of the criminal case and departmental enquiry within a period of one month from the date of receipt of a copy of this Order. ii) There shall be no order as to costs. As a sequel, miscellaneous petitions, pending if any, shall stand closed. __________________ NYAPATHY VIJAY, J Date: 09.07.2026 Whether the order is: Speaking Reasoned Reportable Non-reportable eha 4 THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE NYAPATHY VIJAY W.P.No.18805 of 2025 Dated: 09.07.2026 eha