O R D E R

Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner and the learned Special Government Pleader for the respondents and perused the materials available on record.

2. The case of the petitioner in brief is that on a criminal case being registered against him in the month of April, 2005 under the provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 , he was suspended from service; that in the criminal prosecution initiated against him, he had secured acquittal; that the said order had attained finality as no notice in appeal has been served on him till date; that disciplinary action was initiated on the basis of the same set of charges, as in the criminal prosecution, by issuing charge memo dated 30.11.2016 after a lapse of 7 years of his acquittal in the criminal prosecution; that the respondents by showing pendency of the disciplinary proceedings, did not allow him to retire from service vide proceedings dated 30.11.2016 on attaining the age of superannuation and continuing him in service until the disciplinary proceedings initiated against him are concluded or final orders passed therein by the Competent Authority; and that despite more than 9 years had passed by since, then no order