M/S Randhir and Company v. Union of India

Rajasthan HC1 Apr 2026CW/4019/2026

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

Military Engineering Services contractor temporarily suspended over alleged fraudulent excess payment; reply to show cause notice pending adjudication while fresh tenders invited; grievance framed under Articles 14 and 19, Constitution of India; Rajasthan High Court directs personal hearing on 08.04.2026 and reasoned and speaking order within ten days; writ petition disposed of.

What did the court decide?

Directions to the respondent-authorities to consider the petitioner's show cause notice/grievance after granting a personal hearing to the petitioner and/or counsel on 08.04.2026 at 11.00 AM at the office of the competent authority, and to pass a reasoned and speaking order strictly in accordance with law within ten days; petition disposed of accordingly with pending applications also disposed of. ¶¶29

M/S Randhir and Company Vs Union of India — Rajasthan HC (2026) — LawSathi Research

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

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Issue for consideration

Whether the respondent-authorities should consider the petitioner's grievance and adjudicate upon the show cause notice whose reply was left pending. +2 more

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Court's answer

The Court directed the respondent-authority to consider the petitioner's grievance and adjudicate upon the show cause notice.

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Ratio / Principle

The respondent-authorities were directed to consider the show cause notice/grievance after giving due opportunity of personal hearing to the petitioner and/or the petitioner's counsel on 08.04.2026 at 11.00 AM at the office of the competent authority.

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Key takeaways

The respondent-authority was directed to take an appropriate decision by passing a reasoned and speaking order, strictly in accordance with law, within a period of ten days.ratio¶¶29
The petition was disposed of in the above terms, and pending applications, if any, also stand disposed of.ratio¶¶29

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Rajasthan High Court, Jaipur Bench — S.B. Civil Writ Petition No. 4019/2026, M/s Randhir And Company v. Union of India (Ministry of Defence) and MES authorities, order dated 01/04/2026 by Hon'ble Mr. Justice Sameer Jain. The petitioner-contractor, stated to have been temporarily suspended after respondents alleged it had fraudulently claimed excessive amounts in collusion with erring officials (two officers were found guilty in a departmental inquiry and issued show cause notices), complained that its reply to the impugned show cause notice (Annexure-4) — filed by 14.12.2025 per the petitioner, and conceded as received on 09.12.2025 (Annexure-5) by the respondents — was deliberately left pending while fresh tenders were invited and granted, amounting, per the petitioner, to gross violation of Articles 14 and 19 of the Constitution of India; the petitioner also stated it had already deposited the disputed excess amount. The Court did not decide these rival contentions. Recording the respondents' undertaking, it directed the respondent-authorities to consider the petitioner's grievance and adjudicate upon the show cause notice after granting a personal hearing to the petitioner and/or its counsel on 08.04.2026 at 11.00 AM at the office of the competent authority, and to pass a reasoned and speaking order strictly in accordance with law within ten days. The petition was disposed of in these terms, with pending applications also standing disposed of.

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[2026:RJ-JP:13515]

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HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE FOR RAJASTHAN BENCH AT JAIPUR

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S.B. Civil Writ Petition No. 4019/2026

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M/s Randhir And Company, Through Its Partner, Dhruv Mukhija S/o Shri Randhir Kumar, Aged About 35 Years R/o H. No. 1360, Street No. 03, Jain Nagri Chowk No. 2, Abohar - 152116 Punjab.

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----Petitioner

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Versus

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Union Of India, Through Its Secretary To The Government Of India, Ministry Of Defence, South Block, New Delhi - 110011.

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Director Of Contract, Military Engineering Services Engineer - In - Chiefs Branch Integrated HQ Of Mod (Army) Kashmir House, Rajaji Marg, New Delhi - 110011.

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Headquarters Chief Engineer, South Western Command, Jaipur Military Station, Jaipur - 302012.

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Garrison Engineer, Military Abohar Military Station, Pin 900467 C/o 56 Apo

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----Respondents

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For Petitioner(s)	: Ms. Dhriti Sharma for
	Mr. Kunal Kant Rawat
For Respondent(s)	: Mr. V. P. Mathur with
	Mr. Anil Kumar Anand,ACWE

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HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SAMEER JAIN

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Order

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01/04/2026

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Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the petitioner has been temporarily suspended from the service by the respondent-authorities. It is submitted that the petitioner had duly filed a reply to the show cause notice within the stipulated time, i.e., by 14.12.2025. It is further submitted that the respondentauthorities have deliberately kept the said reply pending adjudication, while simultaneously proceeding to invite and grant

[2026:RJ-JP:13515]

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fresh tenders and the same amounts to gross violation of the fundamental rights guaranteed under Articles 14 and 19 of the Constitution of India. Moreover, it is submitted that the petitioner has already deposited the disputed amount which was allegedly paid in excess.

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Howsoever, learned counsel appearing on behalf of the respondents submits that the factual matrix of the case at hand is entirely different from what has been portrayed. It is submitted that the petitioner, acting hand in glove with certain erring officials of the respondent-authorities, fraudulently claimed the excessive amount. It is further submitted that a departmental inquiry was subsequently conducted, wherein two officers were found guilty and were issued show cause notices. It is against this backdrop that the impugned show cause notice (Annexure-4) was issued to the petitioner.

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However, learned counsel for the respondents fairly concedes that the petitioner’s reply dated 09.12.2025 (Annexure-5) has been duly received by the respondent-authorities. In light of the same, it has been undertaken on behalf of the respondents that the said representation/reply shall be adjudicated upon within a period of next ten days.

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Heard and considered.

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In light of foregoing facts and circumstances, this Court deems it appropriate to direct the respondent-authority to consider the grievance of the petitioner and adjudicate upon the said show cause notice.

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Therefore, the respondent-authorities are directed to consider the show cause notice/grievance of the petitioner after

[2026:RJ-JP:13515]

[CW-4019/2026]

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giving due opportunity of personal hearing to the petitioner and/or counsel of the petitioner on 08.04.2026 at 11.00 AM at the office of the competent authority and the respondent-authority shall take an appropriate decision by passing a reasoned and speaking order, strictly in accordance with law, within a period of ten days. 8. Accordingly, the present petition is disposed of in the above terms. Pending applications, if any, shall also stand disposed of.

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(SAMEER JAIN),J

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Pooja /20

M/S Randhir and Company v. Union of India

Case brief

What is this about?

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M/S Randhir and Company v. Union of India

Case brief

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