KENDRIYA VIDYALAYA SANGATHAN vs T. SRINIVAS

The Supreme Court held that a departmental inquiry can proceed even when a criminal trial is pending, as established under the Prevention of Corruption Act, specifically Sections 7 and 13(i)(d). The Court found that the High Court and the Central Administrative Tribunal erred in staying the departmental proceedings based on the overlap of charges, emphasizing that the disciplinary process is distinct from criminal proceedings. The appeal was allowed, and the stay on the departmental inquiry was lifted, affirming the principle that disciplinary actions are not barred by concurrent criminal trials.