Delhi High Court
Union Of India And Ors vs Ex Sgt Babu Lal Yadav on 5 August, 2025
Author: C. Hari Shankar
Bench: C. Hari Shankar
$~54 to 74
* IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI
+ W.P.(C) 13731/2024, CM APPL. 57490/2024
UNION OF INDIA AND ORS .....Petitioners
Through: Mr. N.K. Aggarwal, Sr. PC
with Ms. Sanjana Antil, Adv. for UOI with
Sgt Manish Kumar Singh and Sgt Mritunjay
(Air Force Legal Cell)
versus
EX SGT BABU LAL YADAV .....Respondent
Through: Mr. Praveen Kumar, Adv.
+ W.P.(C) 804/2025, CM APPL. 3973/2025
UNION OF INDIA & ORS. .....Petitioners
Through: Mr. Jagdish Chandra, CGSC
with Mr. Sujeet Kumar Choudhary, Advs.
with Sgt Manish Kumar Singh and Sgt
Mritunjay Air Force (Legal Cell)
versus
EX MWO HFO KAILASH CHAND 649518 .....Respondent
Through: Mr. Ajit Kakkar and Mr. Aman
Kumar, Advs.
Ms. Deepika Sheoran and Mr. Baljeet Singh,
Advs.
+ W.P.(C) 821/2025, CM APPL. 4062/2025
UNION OF INDIA & ORS. .....Petitioners
Through: Ms. Radhika Bishwajit Dubey,
CGSC with Ms. Gurleen Kaur Waraich, Mr.
Kritarth Upadhyay, Mr. Vivek Sharma, Ms.
Khushi and Mr. Saksham Sharma, Advs.
W.P.(C) 13731/2024 and connected matters
Signature Not Verified Page 1 of 17
Digitally Signed By:AJIT
KUMAR
Signing Date:07.08.2025
13:55:17
with Sgt Manish Kumar Singh and Sgt
Mritunjay Air Force (Legal Cell)
versus
HFO RETD HRADYESH KUMAR
VARSHNEY .....Respondent
Through: Mr. Praveen Kumar, Adv.
+ W.P.(C) 824/2025, CM APPL. 4067/2025
UNION OF INDIA & ORS. .....Petitioners
Through: Mr. Piyush Gupta CGSC with
Mr. Atishay Jain, Mr. Abhay Thukral, Ms.
Sakshi Chhabra and Ms. Vasudha Kumar,
Advs. with Sgt Manish Kumar Singh and
Sgt Mritunjay Air Force (Legal Cell)
versus
EX WO SADANANDA RAUTRAY 633050 R .....Respondent
Through:
+ W.P.(C) 990/2025, CM APPL. 4935/2025
UNION OF INDIA & ORS. .....Petitioners
Through: Mr. Jagdish Chandra, CGSC
with Mr. Sujeet Kumar Choudhary, Adv.
with Sgt Manish Kumar Singh and Sgt
Mritunjay Air Force (Legal Cell)
versus
EX SGT MUKESH KUMAR PANDEY
(SER NO 795766-A) .....Respondent
Through:
+ W.P.(C) 1019/2025, CM APPL. 5057/2025
W.P.(C) 13731/2024 and connected matters
Signature Not Verified Page 2 of 17
Digitally Signed By:AJIT
KUMAR
Signing Date:07.08.2025
13:55:17
UNION OF INDIA & ORS. .....Petitioners
Through: Sgt Manish Kumar Singh and
Sgt Mritunjay Air Force (Legal Cell)
versus
EX MWO VIJENDER SINGH TEOTIA .....Respondent
Through:
+ W.P.(C) 1031/2025, CM APPL. 5106/2025
UNION OF INDIA & ORS. .....Petitioners
Through: Mr. Raghvendra Shukla Sr. PC
for UOI with Sgt Manish Kumar Singh and
Sgt Mritunjay Air Force (Legal Cell)
versus
634793 HFL NARAYANASAMY
NAMMALWAR (RETD.) .....Respondent
Through: Mr. Manoj Kumar Gupta and
Ms. Esha Mehrotra, Advs.
+ W.P.(C) 1277/2025, CM APPL. 6317/2025
UNION OF INDIA THROUGH ITS SECRETARY,
& ORS. .....Petitioners
Through: Mr. Theepa Murugesan, Sr. PC
with Ms. Sanya Bhatia, Adv. for UOI with
Sgt Manish Kumar Singh and Sgt Mritunjay
Air Force (Legal Cell)
versus
772697 SGT PINAKI CHOUDHURY(RETD) .....Respondent
Through: Mr. Baljeet Singh and Mr. A.K.
Chaudhary, Advs.
+ W.P.(C) 1279/2025, CM APPL. 6321/2025
W.P.(C) 13731/2024 and connected matters
Signature Not Verified Page 3 of 17
Digitally Signed By:AJIT
KUMAR
Signing Date:07.08.2025
13:55:17
UNION OF INDIA & ORS. .....Petitioners
Through: Ms. Seema Gulati, Sr. PC with
Sgt Manish Kumar Singh and Sgt Mritunjay
Air Force (Legal Cell)
versus
EX MWO HFL AMRIT LAL SEKHRI .....Respondent
Through: Mr. Baljeet Singh and Mr. A.K.
Chaudhary, Advs.
+ W.P.(C) 1468/2025, CM APPL. 7108/2025
UNION OF INDIA & ORS. .....Petitioners
Through: Mr. Satya Ranjan Swain, Sr. PC
with Mr. Kautilya Birat, Mr. Ankush Kapoor
and Mr. Vishwadeep Chandrakar, Advs.
with Sgt Manish Kumar Singh and Sgt
Mritunjay Air Force (Legal Cell)
versus
GP CAPT VINAY SAREEN .....Respondent
Through: Mr. Ajai Bhalla and Ms. Aditi
Laxman, Advs.
+ W.P.(C) 1472/2025, CM APPL. 7114/2025
UNION OF INDIA AND ORS .....Petitioners
Through: Mr. Shubham Mahajan, Sr. PC
for UOI with Sgt Manish Kumar Singh and
Sgt Mritunjay Air Force (Legal Cell)
versus
EX WO SURENDRA KUMAR SINGH 676264 .....Respondent
Through: Mr. Shiv Ram Singh, Mr.
Girindra Kumar Pathak and Mr. Hem
Kumar, Advs.
W.P.(C) 13731/2024 and connected matters
Signature Not Verified Page 4 of 17
Digitally Signed By:AJIT
KUMAR
Signing Date:07.08.2025
13:55:17
+ W.P.(C) 1707/2025, CM APPL. 8249/2025
UNION OF INDIA & ORS. .....Petitioners
Through: Mr. Jagdish Chandra, CGSC
with Mr. Sujeet Kumar Choudhary, Adv.
with Sgt Manish Kumar Singh and Sgt
Mritunjay Air Force (Legal Cell)
versus
EX MWO BIJAY KUMAR SAH
(SER NO 628234 B) .....Respondent
Through: Mr. Tatsat Shukla and Mr. Ram
Jivan Dixit, Advs.
+ W.P.(C) 1724/2025, CM APPL. 8338/2025
UNION OF INDIA AND ORS .....Petitioners
Through: Mr. Sushil Kumar Pandey, Sr.
PC with Sgt Manish Kumar Singh and Sgt
Mritunjay Air Force (Legal Cell)
versus
EX NC E RATAN LAL DAS .....Respondent
Through: Mr. Pushpendra Kumar Dhaka,
Mr. Abhishek Kumar, Mr. Sumit Sharma
and Ms. Arti Kumar, Advs.
+ W.P.(C) 1725/2025, CM APPL. 8340/2025
UNION OF INDIA ORS .....Petitioners
Through: Ms. Archana Sharma, Sr. PC
with Sgt Manish Kumar Singh and Sgt
Mritunjay Air Force (Legal Cell)
versus
W.P.(C) 13731/2024 and connected matters
Signature Not Verified Page 5 of 17
Digitally Signed By:AJIT
KUMAR
Signing Date:07.08.2025
13:55:17
EX MWO SHYAM SINGH .....Respondent
Through: Ms. Deepika Sheoran and Mr.
Baljeet Singh, Advs.
+ W.P.(C) 1885/2025, CM APPL. 8958/2025
UNION OF INDIA & ORS. .....Petitioners
Through: Mr. Vineet Dhanda, CGSC for
UOI with Sgt Manish Kumar Singh and Sgt
Mritunjay Air Force (Legal Cell)
versus
EX WO DUBEY AWDHASH NARAYAN
SERVICE NO 662681 .....Respondent
Through: Ms. Deepika Sheoran and Mr.
Baljeet Singh, Advs.
+ W.P.(C) 1907/2025, CM APPL. 9008/2025
UNION OF INDIA & ORS. .....Petitioners
Through: Mr. P.S. Singh, CGSC with Ms.
Minakshi Singh, Ms. Annu Singh and Mr.
Ashutosh Bharti, Advs.
versus
HFO RAMANAND SAINI .....Respondent
Through: Mr. Manoj Kumar Gupta and
Ms. Esha Mehrotra, Advs.
+ W.P.(C) 1986/2025, CM APPL. 9298/2025
UNION OF INDIA & ORS. .....Petitioners
Through: Mr. Jivesh Kumar Tiwari, Sr.
PC with Sgt Manish Kumar Singh and Sgt
Mritunjay Air Force (Legal Cell)
versus
W.P.(C) 13731/2024 and connected matters
Signature Not Verified Page 6 of 17
Digitally Signed By:AJIT
KUMAR
Signing Date:07.08.2025
13:55:17
EX SGT ANIL KUMAR .....Respondent
Through:
+ W.P.(C) 2011/2025, CM APPL. 9472/2025
UNION OF INDIA AND ORS .....Petitioners
Through: Mr. Ravi Kant Srivastava, Sr.
PC with Mr. Robert Laishram and Mr.
Bhupender, Advs. with Sgt Manish Kumar
Singh and Sgt Mritunjay Air Force (Legal
Cell)
versus
JWO MADAN LAL KAUSHIK .....Respondent
Through: Mr. Devendra Kumar, Mr. Raj
Kumar and Mr. Brajesh Kumar, Advs.
+ W.P.(C) 2093/2025, CM APPL. 9805/2025
UNION OF INDIA & ORS. .....Petitioners
Through: Mr. Raj Kumar, CGSC with Sgt
Manish Kumar Singh and Sgt Mritunjay Air
Force (Legal Cell)
versus
EX SGT SOMNATH PAL (S.NO. 776890-L) .....Respondent
Through: Mr. Kritendra Tiwari, Adv.
+ W.P.(C) 2524/2025, CM APPL. 11925/2025
UNION OF INDIA & ORS. .....Petitioners
Through: Ms. Suruchi Mittal, Sr. PC with
Major Anish Muralidhar Army
versus
W.P.(C) 13731/2024 and connected matters
Signature Not Verified Page 7 of 17
Digitally Signed By:AJIT
KUMAR
Signing Date:07.08.2025
13:55:17
EX SUB SHAMSHER SINGH .....Respondent
Through: Mr. Devendra Kumar, Mr. Raj
Kumar and Mr. Brajesh Kumar, Advs.
+ W.P.(C) 2732/2025, CM APPL. 13019/2025
UNION OF INDIA & ORS. .....Petitioners
Through: Mr. Jitesh Vikram Srivastava,
Sr. PC with Sgt Manish Kumar Singh and
Sgt Mritunjay Air Force (Legal Cell)
versus
EX-SGT, AKHILESH KUMAR MISHRA
(CLK/PA) .....Respondent
Through: Mr. Praveen Kumar, Adv.
CORAM:
HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE C. HARI SHANKAR
HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE OM PRAKASH SHUKLA
JUDGMENT (ORAL)
% 05.08.2025
C. HARI SHANKAR, J.
1. These writ petitions deal with the entitlement of the respondents
to disability pension. The Union of India assails decisions of the
Armed Forces Tribunal, whereby disability pension stands granted to
the respondents.
2. These cases stand covered by as on date more than eighty
judgments passed by this Bench as well as by a Coordinate Bench of
this Court. They also stand covered by the judgment of the Supreme
W.P.(C) 13731/2024 and connected matters
Court in Dharamvir Singh v UOI1 as well as the recent decision of
the Supreme Court in Vijender Singh v UOI2.
3. Against one of these decisions, which was rendered by us in
UOI v Ex Sub Gawas Anil Madso3, an SLP has been preferred before
the Supreme Court in which notice alone has been issued and no
interim orders have been passed.
4. We are not informed that any SLP has been preferred against
any of the other matters passed by this Bench or the Coordinate
Bench.
5. Learned Counsel for the Union of India in all these matters
fairly acknowledged that the controversy stands covered by the above
decisions.
6. In its recent decision in Union Territory of Ladakh v Jammu &
Kashmir National Conference4, the Supreme Court has deprecated
the practice of hierarchically lower Courts including the High Courts
keeping matters pending merely because some issue is pending before
the Supreme Court. Even where the correctness of a judgment has
been doubted by the Supreme Court, the decision in Jammu &
Kashmir National Conference directs High Courts to implement the
law as it stands and not to adjourn matters awaiting the outcome of the
appeals in the Supreme Court.
1 (2013) 7 SCC 316
2 2025 SCC OnLIne SC 895
3 2025 SCC OnLine 2018
4 2023 SCC OnLine SC 1140
W.P.(C) 13731/2024 and connected matters
7. We have taken stock of this judgment in para 60 of the
judgment in Gawas Anil Madso.
8. We, therefore, proceed to decide these writ petitions on the
basis of the decisions taken by this Court.
9. A tabular statement of the position as it emerges in all these
writ petitions, including the decisions by which the individual writ
petitions, may be provided thus:
S No WP(C) No. Name of Disability Years Reasoning given
Respondent of by the RMB
service
1. W.P.(C) Ex SGT Central 33 Onset of disability
13731/2024 Babu Lal Retinal Vein on Oct 2012 at
Yadav Occlusion peace station Sirsa.
(Left Eye) It is associated with
hypertension &
hyper-viscosity
syndrome in
leukaemia and
polycythaemia
vera. The vision of
right eye have
improved. No
stress and strain of
service. Hence,
NANA as per para
24( d) (ii) GMO
2008.
2. W.P.(C) Ex MWO i. Diabetes 37 Onset in peace and
804/2025 HFO Type-II served in peace as
Kailash per Paras 26 and 43
Chand ii.Primary of GMO 2008.
649518 Hypertension Hence, NANA
W.P.(C) 13731/2024 and connected matters
3. W.P.(C) HFO Retd. i. Diabetes 37 Life Style Disease,
821/2025 Hradyesh Type-II Onset of disability
Kumar white in peace. No
Varshney ii.Primary delay in diagnosis/
Hypertension treatment of indl.
No close time
iii. Coronary connection with
Artery HAA/Cl Ops/Fd
Disease area as per Para 26
and 43 of Ch VI of
GMO 2008 and
charter of duties dt.
22 January 2015.
4. W.P.(C) Ex WO Diabetes 36 Life Style Disease,
824/2025 Sadananda Type-II onset on May 2010
Rautaray while in peace
633050 R area. No delay in
diagnosis/treatment
of individual.
No close time
connection-HAA/
CIOps /Fd Area as
per Para 26 of Ch
VI of GMO 2008.
5. W.P.(C) Ex SGT Primary 20 Onset of disease in
990/2025 Mukesh Hypertension peace area at New
Kumar Delhi. No· history
Pandey of infection,
service-related
trauma/close time
association with
stress of Fd/HAA/
ClOps service.
Hence NANA as
per para 43 of
GMO 2008.
6. W.P.(C) Ex MWO Central 38 Disease-progressed
1019/2025 Vijender Serous without any link to
Singh Chorioretinop service conditions/
Teotia -athy Right stress and no
Eye evidence of delay
or adverse factors,
is deemed NANA
as per para 24(d)(i)
W.P.(C) 13731/2024 and connected matters
of GMO 2008.
7. W.P.(C) HFL Primary 37 An idiopathic and
1031/2025 Narayanasa Hypertension lifestyle disease
my onset in peace
Nammalwar station and served
(Retd.) thereafter in peace
station.
8. W.P.(C) SGT Pinaki Primary 23 Life style disease.
1277/2025 Choudhary Hypertension Onset on February
(Retd.) 2016 in peace area.
No close time
connection with-
HAA/
ClOps/Fd area as
per Para 43 of Ch
VI of GMO 2008.
9. W.P.(C) EX MWO ECG 39 Neither attributable
1279/2025 HFL Amrit Abnormality to nor aggravated
Lal Sekhri (LBBB) by Mil service as
per Para 20 of
GMO 2008
10. W.P.(C) GP Capt. i.Diabetes 33 Disease (i) and (ii)
1468/2025 Vinay Mellitus Type is life style
Sareen II disorder. Onset
while in peace
ii.Primary area. No delay in
Hypertension diagnosis/treatment
of individual.
iii.Dyslipidae No close time
-mia connection with-
HAA/ClOps/Fd
area as per Para 26
and 43 of Ch VI of
GMO 2008.
11. W.P.(C) EX WO Primary 37 Life style disorder.
1472/2025 Surendra Hypertension Onset of disability
Kumar in peace-area
Singh (Allahabad).
No close time
connection with-
HAA/ClOps/Fd
area. No delay in
W.P.(C) 13731/2024 and connected matters
diagnosis and there
was no stress/strain
of service Hence,
NANA as per Para
43 of Ch VI of
GMO 2008.
12. W.P.(C) EX MWO CAD AWMI 37 No service related
1707/2025 Bijay trauma/stress or
Kumar Sah delay in diagnosis
or treatment. The
condition is held
neither attributable
to nor aggravated
by service as per
Para 47 of Chapter
VI of GMO 2008
and Charter of
Duties dated 16
January 2014.
13. W.P.(C) EX NC E i.Diabetes 29 Disease (i) and (ii)
1724/2025 Ratan Lal Mellitus Type is life style
Das II disorder. Onset
while in peace
ii.Primary area. No delay in
Hypertension diagnosis/treatment
of individual.
No close time
connection with-
HAA/ClOps/Fd
area as per Para 26
and 43 of Ch VI of
GMO 2008.
14. W.P.(C) EX MWO Primary 37 Life style disease.
1725/2025 Shyam Hypertension Onset of disability
Singh in peace area.
No close time
connection with-
HAA/ClOps/Fd
area as per Para 43
of Ch VI of GMO
2008.
15. W.P.(C) EX WO i.Diabetes 37 Life Style Disease,
1885/2025 Dubey Mellitus onset on February
Awdhash Type II 2016 of in peace
W.P.(C) 13731/2024 and connected matters
Narayan area. No close time
ii.Primary connection with-
Hypertension HAA/ClOps/Fd
area as per Paras
26 and 43 of Ch VI
of GMO 2008.
16. W.P.(C) HFO i.Pulmonary 37 Onset on Oct 2009
1907/2025 Ramanand Thrombo while posted to
Saini Embolism Peace area. An
with idiopathic disorder
Pulmonary and no delay in
Hypertension diagnosis. There is
no close time
ii.Primary association with
Hypertension stress or strain of
service. Hence
NANA.
17. W.P.(C) EX SGT CAD ASMI 20 Onset on 13
1986/2025 Anil Kumar November 2003 in
peace area.
No service related
trauma/stress or
delay in diagnosis
or treatment. The
condition is held
neither attributable
to nor aggravated
by service.
18. W.P.(C) JWO Primary 37 Aggravation is
2011/2025 Madan Lal Hypertension conceded when the
Kaushik onset occurs while
serving in Fd/CI
Ops/HAA. Hence,
NANA as per Para
43 of GMO 2008.
19. W.P.(C) EX SGT Primary 20 Onset in peace area
2093/2025 Somnath Hypertension and remains in
Pal peace area, hence
NANA vide Para
43 of GMO 2008.
20. W.P.(C) EX Sub Primary 30 Neither attributable
2524/2025 Shamsheer Hypertension to nor aggravated
Singh by Mil service as
W.P.(C) 13731/2024 and connected matters
per Para 43 of
GMO 2008
21. W.P.(C) EX SGT 19 Life style disease.
2732/2025 Akhilesh Primary Onset of disability
Kumar Hypertension in peace area.
Mishra No close time
connection with-
HAA/ClOps/Fd
area as per Para 43
of Ch VI of GMO
2008.
10. These appeals stand covered, in identical circumstances, by
several decisions rendered by this Court, in which disability pension
was denied on identical grounds. Some of the representative decisions
may be cited thus:
(i) Primary Hypertension
(a) UOI v Rajveender Singh Mallhi5
(b) UOI v Ravish Babu6
(c) UOI v SGT Harvinder Singh Negi7
(d) UOI v Koutharapu Srinivasa8
(e) UOI v Jyoti Kumar Singh9
(f) UOI v Lt Col V Raveendran Kutty10
(ii) Diabetes Mellitus Type II
(a) UOI v Vijay Kumar11
5 2025 SCC OnLine Del 3956
6 2025 SCC OnLine Del 3957
7 2025 SCC OnLine Del 4806
8 2025 SCC OnLine Del 4292
9 2025 SCC OnLine Del 4222
10 2025 SCC OnLine Del 3004
11 2025 SCC OnLine Del 3969
W.P.(C) 13731/2024 and connected matters
(b) UOI v Ashok Kumar Pandey12
(c) UOI v Sayan Panja13
(d) UOI v Rajesh Kumar14
(e) UOI v GP Capt. Santosh Kumar15
(f) UOI v EX SGT Kunal Palit16
(iii) Coronary Artery Disease
(a) UOI v EX JWO Dharmendra Prasad17
(b) UOI v MWO Jahangeer Alam18
(c) UOI v EX JWO Vinay Rathee19
(d) UOI V EX JWO SK Srivastava20
(iv) Primary Hypertension with Retinopathy
UOI v EX WO Hira Lal Prasad21
(v) Diabetes Mellitus Type II and Primary Hypertension
(a) UOI v Mani Lal Prasad22
(b) UOI v HFO MWO Raj Bhanu Singh23
2025 SCC OnLine Del 2908
13 2025 SCC OnLine Del 2910
14 WP C 9470/2025 dt. 10 July 2025
15 2025 SCC OnLine Del 3218
16 2025 SCC OnLine Del 4961
17 2025 SCC OnLine Del 2549
18 2025 SCC OnLine Del 2434
19 2025 SCC OnLine Del 3583
20 2025 SCC OnLine Del 4909
21 2025 SCC OnLine Del 2689
22 2025 SCC OnLine Del 3958
23 2025 SCC OnLine Del 3223
W.P.(C) 13731/2024 and connected matters
(c) UOI v CDR Sudesh Kumar Sharma24
(d) UOI v GP Capt Girish Kumar Johri (Retd)25
11. The reasons for our disinclination to interfere with the decision
of the Tribunal are forthcoming in the individual judgements passed
by us, and we do not deem it necessary to burden this order by a
reiteration thereof. Suffice it to state that learned Counsel for the UOI,
in these petitions, too, was unable to urge that these cases are not
covered by our earlier decisions. In fact, as already noted, they fairly
conceded that the issues stood covered.
12. Following the aforesaid, all these writ petitions are dismissed.
The petitioners are directed to implement the orders passed by the
Tribunal within a period of eight weeks from today.
C. HARI SHANKAR, J.
OM PRAKASH SHUKLA, J.
AUGUST 5, 2025/aky
24 2025 SCC OnLine Del 4840
25 2025 SCC OnLine Del 4960
W.P.(C) 13731/2024 and connected matters
