Judgment

Mr. Vikas Bahl, J.

This order will dispose of six writ petitions i.e., CWP-19954-2018 filed by Gobind Ram Verma, CWP-19957-2018 filed by Manjit Singh, CWP-20012-2018 filed by Sewa Singh, CWP-20016-2018 filed by Ram Singh, CWP-20059-2018 filed by Nahar Singh and CWP-19175-2018 filed by Sudarshan Singh as common questions of law and fact arise in all the six writ petitions.

2. Prayer in all the writ petitions is for issuance of a writ in the nature of mandamus directing the respondents to pay the interest @ 10% per annum from the date of gratuity was payable till the date of its payment.

3. The undisputed facts in the present case are that all the petitioners had joined the services in the Public Works Department, Punjab and had retired in the period between 2005-08 but their gratuity was sanctioned and paid in the year(s) 2016-17, after much delay. The sole reason for non-release of the gratuity was the pendency of FIR no.9 dated 29.06.2004 registered under Sections 406, 420, 467, 468, 471, 120-B IPC and Sections 7, 12, 13(1) A.C.D. read with Section 13(2) of the Preventio