JUDGMENT

S.B. Sinha, J. - Leave granted.

2. Respondent – Bharat Coking Coal Limited is a government company incorporated and registered under the Companies Act, 1956. Appellant herein joined as a Chief General Manager. He was working in a coking coal mine which vested in the Bharat Coking Coal Limited pursuant to an appropriate notification issued by the Central Government either under Section 7 of the Coking Coal Mines (Nationalisation) Act, 1972 or Section 5 of the Coal Mines (Nationalisation) Act, 1973.

3. A chargesheet was issued against him on the allegation of shortage of stock of coal in Lodna area of Respondent No. 1. During pendency of the departmental proceeding, the appellant was allowed to retire. He applied for payment of gratuity under the Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972 (for short "the Act") in the year 1998 which was denied. He, therefore, filed an application before the Additional Labour Commissioner, Dhanbad for payment of gratuity on 4.01.2000. Notices having been issued by the said authority, Respondent No. 1 filed reply thereto inter alia contending that the gratuity amount payable to the appellant had been withheld for the purpose of making of adjustment, in th