| DB slams govt flip-flop, upholds tribunal relief on withheld salary | | | Early Times Report
JAMMU, Aug 29: In a stern message to the J&K administration, the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh has dismissed a writ petition filed by the UT government and the J&K Special Tribunal against a Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) order directing consideration of withheld salary of an employee, branding the petition as "misconceived."
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Arun Palli and Justice Rajnesh Oswal noted that the government had already complied with the CAT's November 2023 direction by issuing a consideration order, and therefore could not "turn around and assail the same."
The dispute concerned Ghulam Mustafa Mantoo of Qazigund, whose salary had been withheld over allegations of producing forged educational certificates. The CAT, while hearing his plea, directed the authorities to consider releasing his "legitimately earned salary" within four weeks, subject to an undertaking that the payment would abide the outcome of pending proceedings.
Despite challenging the CAT's order, the record showed that the government subsequently suspended Mantoo on July 26, 2024, examined the matter through a comprehensive enquiry report on July 9, 2025, and passed a consideration order on July 14, 2025.
"Having accepted and acted upon the CAT's directions, the petitioners cannot now maintain a challenge to the very order they complied with," the court observed while dismissing the writ.
—(JNF) |
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