MAT orders issuance of notice to home department; others

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:

The Aurangabad Bench of the Maharashtra Administrative Tribunal (MAT), through its member Justice A N Karmarkar, has ordered issuance of notices to the additional principal secretary of the state’s home department and other respondents in connection with the original application filed seeking unpaid retirement benefits.

The applicant, a sub-inspector in the state excise department (SED), was suspended from service in 2001 and later retired in 2016 on attaining the age of superannuation while still under suspension. Meanwhile, though he was acquitted in 2024 by the court in the bribery case filed against him, the authorities have still been delaying the release of his retirement benefits. Aggrieved by this, he has filed an original application before MAT. The next hearing is scheduled for January 8.

What is the case about?

While working as a sub-inspector at the Dharashiv office of the SED, the applicant, Kamlesh Kamble, was booked under Sections 7 and 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 at the Bhoom police station. The High Court later acquitted him of all charges.

Despite this acquittal, the department has not finalised or released his pending retirement benefits such as pension fixation under the 6th and 7th Pay Commissions, encashment of earned leave, and service gratuity. Kamble had repeatedly submitted representations to the Commissioner of State Excise (Mumbai), requesting the release of these dues.

However, due to the authorities’ continued inaction despite several requests, Kamble has filed the original application through Advocate D B Pawar–Pathrekar.