Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd. & ... vs Sarvesh Berry

The Supreme Court held that departmental proceedings can continue simultaneously with criminal proceedings, as established in Capt. M. Paul Anthony vs. Bharat Gold Mines Ltd. (1999 (3) SCC 679). The Court found that the High Court erred in staying the departmental proceedings based on the premise that the issues were identical, emphasizing that charges related to misconduct in property returns are distinct from criminal charges under Section 13(2) and Section 13(1)(e) of the Prevention of Corruption Act. The Court reinstated the legality of the departmental proceedings, allowing them to proceed irrespective of the criminal case's status.