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2026 Supreme(Online)(P&H) 86922

IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH
Sandeep Moudgil, Rohit Kapoor, JJ
Sardool Singh Ghumman – Appellant
Versus
Sant Longowal Institute Of Engineering And Technology – Respondent
LPA-1651-2026



Advocates:
For the Appellants/Petitioners: Sardool Singh Ghumman
For the Respondents: Vivek Singla

When the disciplinary proceedings subject to challenge are dropped and the petitioner is exonerated, an appeal against such proceedings becomes redundant and lacks substance, though the party retains the right to initiate separate legal actions for damages or promotion-related claims.

Headnote:Statute Analysis: The case pertains to the Limitation Act (S. 5) and the Code of Civil Procedure (S. 151, O. 41 R. 27). Facts of the Case: The appellant, a retired Associate Professor, filed an appeal challenging a Single Judge order, arguing that despite the dropping of disciplinary proceedings, issues of harassment and humiliation were unaddressed.

Findings of Court:
The Court noted that the disciplinary charge-sheet against the appellant was formally closed and dropped following a review by the Central Vigilance Commission. As the underlying grievance regarding the charge-sheet no longer existed, the appeal was found to lack substance.

Issues: The primary issue was whether the appellant remained aggrieved regarding the disciplinary proceedings and if he was entitled to further relief concerning alleged harassment.

Ratio Decidendi: The Court reasoned that since the disciplinary proceedings had been expressly dropped and the appellant exonerated due to a lack of evidence, the judgment of the Single Judge required no interference. The Court acknowledged the appellant’s right to pursue separate legal remedies regarding promotion disputes and damage claims.

Result: The appeal is disposed of as the main grievance has been redressed by the dropping of disciplinary charges, with liberty granted to initiate separate proceedings for damages.

CM-4029-2026

This application has been filed under Section 5 of the Limitation Act read with Section 151 CPC for condonation of delay of 33 days in filing the present appeal.

Learned counsel for applicant-appellant asserts that he was suffering from severe health issues from 02.04.2026 to 09.05.2026 and was under treatment from the PGI, Chandigarh and on that account alone, the delay in question has occurred which is for bone fide reasons and is not intentional.

Notice in the application.

Mr. Vivek Singla, Advocate accepts notice on behalf of respondents No.1 to 4 with an advance copy of the application as well as Letter Patent Appeal, who submits no objection to the condonation of delay.

Accordingly, having heard the learned counsel for the parties,

CM-4030-2026

This application has been filed under Order 41 Rule 27 read with Section 151 CPC for permission to place on record the Annexures A-2 to A-7 by way of additional evidence.

Notice in the application.

Mr. Vivek Singla, Advocate accepts notice on behalf of respondents No.1 to 4 with an advance copy of the application, who submits that he has no objection, if the documents are taken on record.

Application is allowed, as prayed for and Annexures A-2 to A-7 are taken on record.

LPA-1651-2026

The instant LPA has been preferred against the order dated 09.03.2026 passed by the learned Single Judge along with an order in the review application dated 21.04.2026 asserting that though the proceedings under the charge sheet have been dropped by the respondent but the humiliation and harassment faced by the original petitioner/appellant has not been addressed to in the said writ petition and therefore, the learned Single Judge committed an error while disposing of the writ petition.

Mr. Vivek Singla, Advocate having been served with a copy of LPA in advance puts an appearance on behalf of respondents No.1 and 4-the contesting respondents has placed on record a copy of the order dated 03.06.2026, is taken on record as Annexure ‘A’, which reads as follow:

A perusal of the above said order would crystallized that the disciplinary proceedings initiated against the petitioner who is a retired Associate Professor (Physics) under Rule 14 of the CCS (CCA) Rules, 1965 are hereby ordered to be closed and dropped with immediate effect meaning thereby the charge-sheet under challenge in the CWP-2279-2018 is no more in existence and the appellant has been exonerated to call the allegations along the precise charges leveled therein.

In the light of the order produced before this Court dated 03.06.2026, which has been passed after the issue was taken up before the CVC i.e. Central Vigilance Commission wherein the inquiry report was taken into account and it was recorded that the said disciplinary proceedings including the inquiry report suffer from certain defects and the substance is not found against the appellant with any cogent material or evidence against him. In view of the above, we do not find any ambiguity in the order passed by the learned Single Judge dated 09.03.2026 and as such this appeal lacks substance and deserves to be dismissed.

However, to the another submission made by the appellant before this Court that he was due to get promotion before retirement to the post of Professor in the year 2011 which is already under challenge in a separate writ petition, the same be contested in accordance with law.

Disposed off.

The appellant further seeks liberty to take recourse of law on account of claiming damages for the harassment or any loss of reputation caused as has been alleged by him today.

The prayer is accepted to initiate appropriate proceedings under law as permissible.

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