Panaji: Bombay high court held that govt was not justified in withholding the pension of a retired motor vehicle inspector of the transport department, Guirish Dalvi as the charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act against him are unrelated to discharge of his duties in the department.The court directed govt to process and finalise his pension expeditiously.Dalvi went to the high court stating that he was originally employed as an assistant motor vehicle inspector in the transport department and rendered service for almost 31 years, but his pension was not sanctioned by the authorities since he retired in 2019.He told HC that he is not the prime accused but his wife is the prime accused where both are facing trial, and that the transaction referred to in the proceedings is not connected with the discharge of his regular duty during the course of his employment.HC observed that the charge brought against the prime accused is of amassing wealth disproportionate to her known source of income, and the allegation brought against him, being her husband, is one of abetment of such an offence.The division bench comprising Justices Suman Shyam and Amit S Jamasandekar stated that since there is no order passed by a competent authority stopping his pension, and considering that the proceedings pending against him are unrelated to his discharge of duties as a public servant under the transport department, govt was not justified in withholding the pension merely on the ground that a judicial proceeding was pending against him.HC directed state govt and the transport directorate to process and finalise his pension as expeditiously as possible, but not later than three months.
