IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA CWJC No.4810 of 2001 LAKSHMI PRASAD W i t h CWJC No.4779 of 2001 PRAMOD KUMAR W i t h CWJC No.4825 of 2001 SATISH KUMAR Versus THE STATE OF BIHAR & ORS ----------- 4/ 21/04/2009 Heard learned counsel for the petitioners and learned counsel for the State in all the three writ applications. The petitioners were issued show-cause notices for verification of their letters of appointment on 11.10.2000. Simultaneously, their payment of salary was stopped. This Court on 18.4.2001 observed that in the meantime the admissible salary must be paid if they are found to be working. It is submitted that thereafter payment of salary to the petitioners commenced and is being paid. It is next submitted that the petitioners have filed their reply to the show-cause notices on 25.10.2000 also. The respondents commenced an enquiry, but which has remained inconclusive and no orders have been passed till now. The arrears of salary from August-2000 to 2 February-2001 remained payable. The counter affidavit of the respondents is not up to date, but only acknowledges that in pursuance of the order of this Court noticed above salary is being paid. Learned counsel for the State submits that the arrears of salary shall be paid, but this shall not affect the enquiry being held in any manner which shall take its full effect in accordance with law, if not concluded already. The Court cannot take exception to this stand of the State. The writ application is disposed in terms of the submission made on behalf of the respondents to be complied with by payment of the arrears, if any, within a maximum period of 12 weeks from the date of receipt/presentation of a copy of this order. If the enquiry has not been completed, considering that the matter has remained pending for 9 years, this Court considers it proper to direct that the petitioners have already submitted their replies, be, therefore, concluded within a maximum period of 3 months from the date of receipt/production of a copy of this order including any personal hearing, if the petitioners so request. If the petitioners cooperate and the authorities are not able to dispose the matter within 3 three months for reasons attributable to the authorities alone they shall be precluded from proceeding in the matter any further. The writ application stands disposed. KC (Navin Sinha, J.)