Navin Kumar v. The State Of Bihar

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA

Civil Writ Jurisdiction Case No.13217 of 2025 ====================================================== Navin Kumar S/O-Late Sachchidanand Mahto, R/O-Village-Belsand, P.S.- Belsand, District-Sitamarhi.

... ... Petitioner/s

Versus

1.

The State of Bihar through the Principal Secretary, Agriculture Department, Govt. of Bihar, Patna.

2.

The Secretary, Agriculture Department, Bihar, Patna. 3.

The Director Agriculture, Bihar, Patna.

4.

The Joint Director (Agronomy) Patna Division, Patna. 5.

The Joint Director (Agronomy) Tirhut Division, Muzaffarpur -cumConducting Officer. 6.

The District Agriculture Officer, Patna-cum-Presenting Officer. ... ... Respondent/s ====================================================== Appearance :

For the Petitioner/s :

None For the Respondent/s :

Mr. Standing Counsel (05) ====================================================== CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE DR. ANSHUMAN ORAL ORDER 22-06-2026 No one appears on behalf of the petitioner. However, learned counsel for the State is present.

2. The present writ petition has been filed for the following reliefs:- "I. For quashing the order issued under the signature of the Director Agriculture after approval of the Hon'ble Agriculture Minister contained in Memo No.-236 dated 01.04.2025 whereby and where under the petitioner has been visited with the following punishment:- (a) Recovery of the total amount of

Patna High Court CWJC No.13217 of 2025(2) dt.22-06-2026 2/3 scheme i.e. Rs.3,01,425/- and, (b) Stoppage of one annual increment with cumulative effect.

II. To hold the entire departmental proceeding from the stage of framing of charge up to the order of punishment to be arbitrary, malafide and without any commission of misconduct and thus, the punishment order is bad in law as well as on facts.

III. For direction to the concerned respondents to release the annual increment of the petitioner forthwith.

IV. To restrain the respondent authorities from making any recovery from the petitioner on the basis of the order of punishment.

V. During pendency of the writ application the operation of the order of punishment may kindly be stayed.

VI. For any other relief/reliefs to which the petitioner may be entitled to."

3. Learned counsel for the State raised a preliminary objection and submitted that, from paragraph 26 of the writ petition, it transpires that the review application of the petitioner is pending before the Secretary, Agriculture Department, Bihar, Patna.

4. This Court put a specific query to the State as to

Patna High Court CWJC No.13217 of 2025(2) dt.22-06-2026 3/3 what decision had been taken by the respondent on the review application.

5. In response thereto, counsel for the State submitted that he was not in a position to state the same.

6. In view of the above, it is hereby directed that the Secretary, Agriculture Department, Bihar, Patna, shall take a decision on the review application filed by the petitioner, as stated in paragraph No. 26, a copy of which has also been annexed as Annexure-P/11, within 90 days from the date of production/receipt of a copy of this order.

7. The petitioner shall be at liberty to challenge the same before the appropriate authority if dissatisfied with the order passed on the review application.

8. Accordingly, the present writ petition stands disposed of.

(Dr. Anshuman, J.) Aman Kumar/- U