Lalit Kumar Rawal Vs High Court of Delhi through Registrar General & Ors. — Delhi HC (2025) — LawSathi Research

Lalit Kumar Rawal Vs High Court of Delhi through Registrar General & Ors. — Delhi HC (2025) — LawSathi Research

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Present writ petition disposed of along with pending applications. Petitioner permitted to make a representation claiming interest on gratuity; Registry open to process release of his final pension and gratuity, with interest, within three months; liberty reserved to respondent no.3 to question the order of exoneration before the competent forum including this Court.

Issue for consideration

Whether respondent no.3 may be permitted to initiate proceedings questioning the order of exoneration dated 10.10.2025 before the competent forum, including this Court. +1 more

Court's answer

Finding substance in the liberty claimed by respondent no.3's counsel, the Court permitted respondent no.3 to initiate proceedings, if so desired, questioning the order of exoneration before the competent forum including this Court.

Ratio / Principle

Since there is a delay caused in payment of gratuity and the petitioner is already exonerated, the petitioner is entitled to interest on the payment of gratuity.

Key takeaways

The petitioner's request for release of final pension and gratuity, along with interest, is to be processed (by the Registry) within a period of three months from the date of the order.ratio¶19

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

W.P.(C) 7534/2022, Lalit Kumar Rawal v. High Court of Delhi through Registrar General & Ors. (High Court of Delhi, disposed 13.10.2025, Justices Nitin Wasudeo Sambre and Anish Dayal). During hearing, the Court noted that the petitioner had been exonerated on 10.10.2025 in disciplinary proceedings that had been initiated upon a complaint preferred by respondent no.3, and a copy of the exoneration order tendered by the High Court's counsel was taken on record. Liberty was reserved to respondent no.3 to apply for the inquiry report and the orders passed thereon from the Registry and, if desired, to question the exoneration order before the competent forum including this Court. Noting the delay in payment of gratuity and that the petitioner is already exonerated, the Court held the petitioner entitled to interest on the payment of gratuity, permitted him to make a representation to that effect, and expected the Registry to process release of his final pension and gratuity, along with interest, within three months.

$~36

IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI

- W.P.(C) 7534/2022, CM APPLs. 23129/2022 & 23131/2022 LALIT KUMAR RAWAL .....Petitioner

Through: Petitioner in person.

versus

HIGH COURT OF DELHI THROUGH REGISTRAR GENERAL & ORS. .....Respondents Through: Ms. Anu Bagai & Ms. Aanchal Pundir, Advs. for DHC/R-1 & 2. Mr. Braj Kishore Roy, Adv. for R-3.

CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE NITIN WASUDEO SAMBRE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE ANISH DAYAL

O R D E R % 13.10.2025

We are informed that vide order of the High Court, the petitioner was exonerated on 10^th October, 2025 in the disciplinary proceedings.

The said proceedings were initiated upon a complaint preferred by respondent no.3, who is physically present before the Court and is also represented by counsel.

A copy of the exoneration dated 10^th October, 2025 has been tendered during the course of hearing by the learned counsel appearing for the High Court of Delhi, and the same is taken on record.

Learned counsel appearing for respondent no.3 would suggest that respondent no.3 shall apply for the inquiry report and the orders passed

This is a digitally signed order.

The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 15/10/2025 at 12:20:22

thereon from the High Court Registry and once the copies are made available, he will take a call as to whether the said order warrants any action, at the behest of respondent no.3, including questioning the said order before the competent forum including this Court.

We find substance in the liberty which is claimed by the learned counsel for the respondent no.3. 6. As such, we deem it appropriate to permit the respondent no.3 to initiate proceedings, if so desired, questioning the order of exoneration. 7. In response to the Court’s query, the petitioner, who appears in person, submits that he shall be appearing before the Senior Officer of the Cash Branch Section for processing his request for releasing the gratuity and final pension on 16^th October, 2025 at 11 am.

Till then it shall be open for the Registry to process the request of the petitioner for releasing of final pension and the gratuity. 9. Since there is a delay caused in payment of gratuity and the petitioner is already exonerated, we are of the view that the petitioner shall be entitled to interest on the payment of gratuity.

We permit the petitioner to make a representation to that effect to the respondent, which shall be presented on the day he appears before the Senior Officer of the Cash Branch.

We expect that the request of the petitioner for being processed for releasing final pension and gratuity, along with interest, shall be processed within a period of three months from today.

While reserving the aforesaid liberty in favour of the petitioner and respondent no.3, we deem it appropriate to dispose of the present writ petition along with the pending applications, if any.

This is a digitally signed order.

The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 15/10/2025 at 12:20:22

Order be uploaded on the website of this Court.

NITIN WASUDEO SAMBRE, J

ANISH DAYAL, J

OCTOBER 13, 2025 ab/as

This is a digitally signed order.

The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 15/10/2025 at 12:20:22