YOGESH TIWARI TIWARI Date: 2026.02.17

2026:CGHC:8204 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR WPS No. 4020 of 2023 Ram Kumar Bareth S/o Late Gopi Ram Bareth Aged About 55 Years Presently Posted As Revenue Sub-Inspector Nagar Panchayat Bodari, District : Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh ... Petitioner versus

1 - State of Chhattisgarh Through The Secretary Urban Administration And Development Department, Mantralaya, Naya Raipur, District :

Raipur, Chhattisgarh

2 - Joint Director Directorate Of Panchayat Vikas Bhawan, Ground Floor, Nawa Raipur, District : Raipur, Chhattisgarh

3 - Zone Commissioner Zone No.02 Municipal Corporation Bilaspur, District : Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh

4 - Chief Municipal Officer Nagar Panchayat Bodri, District : Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh

5 - Chief Executive Officer Zila Panchayat Bilaspur, District : Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh ... Respondents (Cause-title taken from Case Information System)

For Petitioner : Mr. Topilal Bareth, Advocate For State/Respondents : Mr. Ashutosh Shukla, Panel Lawyer No.1 and 2 For Respondent No.3 : Mr. Bharat Sharma, Advocate For Respondent No.4 : Mr. Shivam Mishra, Advocate Hon’ble Shri Amitendra Kishore Prasad, Judge

Order on Board

13.02.2026

1. By filing the present petition, the petitioner assails the order dated

23.05.2023 issued by respondent No.3, whereby the petitioner has been directed to deposit an interest amount of Rs.61,596/- in the name of the Chief Executive Officer, Zila Panchayat, Bilaspur. The petitioner further assails the order dated 24.05.2023 issued by respondent No.4, whereby the petitioner has been instructed to deposit the aforesaid amount of Rs.61,596/- within a period of three days. The petitioner also calls in question the order dated 26.05.2023 issued by respondent No.4, whereby it has been intimated that the said recovery shall be effected in four installments. By the same order, it has further been mentioned that a communication has been sent to the Directorate, Urban Administration & Development Department, Raipur for initiating disciplinary enquiry against the petitioner, without affording any opportunity of hearing, with the following reliefs :-

“10.1) The Hon'ble Court may kindly be pleased to quash/set-aside the impugned order/notice dated 23.05.2023 issued by the respondent No. 3 (Annexure P/1).

10.2) The Hon'ble Court may kindly be pleased to quash/set-aside the impugned order/notice dated 24.05.2023 issued by the respondent No. 4.

(Annexure P/2).

10.3) The Hon'ble. Court may kindly be pleased to quash/set-aside the order dated 26.05.2023 issued by the respondent No. 4 (Annexure P/3).

10.4) The Hon'ble Court may kindly be pleased to direct the respondent No. 3 & 4 to return the recovered amount of Rs. 15,399/- to the petitioner.

10.5) Any other relief which this Hon'ble Court deems fit and proper may also kindly be granted to the petitioner, in the interest of justice.”

2. Mr. Topilal Bareth, learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the petitioner is presently working as Revenue Sub-Inspector at Nagar Panchayat Bodari, Bilaspur and has been discharging his duties with utmost sincerity and diligence. There is no complaint whatsoever against the petitioner in his entire service career. He further submits that while the petitioner was working as Accountant In-charge at Nagar Panchayat Tifra in the year 2012, a written complaint dated 16.05.2012 was lodged by respondent No.4 before the SHO, Civil Line, Bilaspur alleging that cheque No. 133271 belonging to Nagar Panchayat Tifra had been fraudulently stolen by one Raja Pandey on 27.04.2012 and encashed at ICICI Bank, Bilaspur Branch, resulting in withdrawal of Rs.9,00,000/- from Account No. 31033091671 of SBI, Bilaspur, maintained by Nagar Panchayat Tifra. It was requested therein that an FIR be registered and appropriate action be taken against the accused persons. It is submitted that since the petitioner was posted as Accountant In-charge at the relevant time, a show-cause notice dated 17.05.2012 was issued to him by the