WPSS No.430 of 2009 Hon’ble V.K. Bist, J. Shri D.S. Patni and Shri P.S. Uniyal, learned counsel for the petitioner. Shri Anil Bisht, learned Brief Holder for the State of Uttarakhand/respondent no.1. Smt. Beena Pandey, learned Standing Counsel for the State of Uttar Pradesh/ respondent no.2. Shri Pradeep Joshi, learned Standing Counsel for Union of India/respondent nos.3 & 4. Heard learned counsel for the parties. Petitioner was superannuated on 31st October, 1991 from the post of Nayab Tehsildar. After his retirement, petitioner was paid his post retrial dues, except 10% G.P.F. According to the learned counsel for the petitioner, there was nothing on record on which basis the 10% G.P.F. amount could be withheld. Learned counsel for the petitioner submitted that petitioner preferred about 25 representations before different authorities for his remaining amount of G.P.F. On 28.08.2006, the petitioner received 10% G.P.F. amount i.e. ` 18,191/- through Draft No.212655. After receiving the 10% G.P.F. amount i.e. ` 18,191/-, the petitioner again preferred several representations before the respondent no.3, asking for the interest on the delayed payment of 10% G.P.F. amount, but no interest has been paid to him so far. Hence, this writ petition has been filed. Counter affidavit has filed on behalf of respondent no.4. In paragraph 7 of the counter affidavit, it is mentioned that 10% of General Provident Fund was authorized to the petitioner vide authority letter No.Fund-19/RCA-3070/ 799-800 dated 18.06.1993 to the tune of ` 18,191/- with limited interest upto 11/1992 to the District Magistrate, Tehri Garhwal for payment to the petitioner. The copy of the said authority letter was also endorsed to the Treasury Officer, Tehri Garhwal and to the petitioner. But the said amount could not be paid to the petitioner for the reasons best known to the parent department. The respondent no.1 has also filed the counter affidavit. In paragraph 6 of the counter affidavit, it is mentioned that the authority letter, which has been issued by the Accountant General Office, Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, was misplaced in the office of the Special Land Acquisition Officer, Tehri and therefore, the Special Land Acquisition Officer, Tehri has made the correspondence with the Accountant General Office, Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh to issue the duplicate/2nd authority letter for the purpose of payment of 10% G.P.F. amount to the petitioner. It is also mentioned in the said paragraph that on some occasion, the special messenger was also sent for the purpose of giving the authority letter from Accountant General Office, Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh and on 20.07.2006 the authority letter was issued and thereafter, the payment of 10% G.P.F. amount i.e. ` 18,191/- was paid to the petitioner. In the said paragraph, the respondent no.1 has not written that after issuance of the authority letter in the year 1993, how many times reminders were sent, on which dates reminders were sent and on which dates the special messenger was sent. Only vague reply has been given in paragraph 6 of the counter affidavit filed on behalf of the respondent no.1 that the reminders were sent and the special messengers were sent. This is not sufficient. The fact remains that the due payment was not made to the petitioner for about 15 years. It is not disputed that sum of ` 18,191/- was not paid to the petitioner, due to the reason that the authority letter was misplaced in the office of the Special Land Acquisition Officer, Tehri. I find that the petitioner, who retired in the year 1991, was unnecessarily harassed by the respondents for a long period of thirteen years. Therefore, petitioner is entitled for interest for the period his payment was withheld by the respondents. Consequently, the petition is allowed with cost of ` 5,000/-. Direction is issued to the respondents to pay 12% interest on the delayed payment of 10% of G.P.F. amount i.e. ` 18,191/-, from 18.06.1993 till actual payment was made i.e. 28.08.2006. Interest from 18.06.1993 till 09.09.2000 shall be paid by the respondent no.2 and interest from 09.09.2000 till 28.08.2006 shall be paid by the respondent no.1 within a period of six weeks from today. 50% cost i.e. ` 2,500/- shall be paid by respondent no.1 and remaining 50% cost i.e. ` 2,500/- shall be paid by respondent no.2. (V.K. Bist, J.) Arpan 20.12.2011