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Orissa HC issues warrant against state higher education secy in contempt case
Justice Dixit Krishna Shripad issued a warrant, requiring the authorities to produce Agrawal, a 2007 batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, on January 22
The Orissa high court has issued an arrest warrant against Odisha’s higher education secretary, Arvind Agarwal, for failing to implement the court order in connection with an increment of a government employee.
Justice Dixit Krishna Shripad issued a warrant, requiring the authorities to produce Agrawal, a 2007 batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, on January 22. In his order, the bench said this was a case of “aggravated contempt” due to non-compliance with its court order and breach of the government’s undertaking.
The order was passed on January 16 and uploaded to the high court’s website on Tuesday.
However, the court provided a window for compliance, underlining that if the IAS officer complied with the original directive by January 22, no coercive action would be taken.
The contempt petition, filed by Tapan Kumar Pattanaik, said Agarwal had failed to comply with the court’s July 30, 2025, directive that gave the authorities eight weeks to decide on his representation. Patnaik moved the court last year seeking grant of an increment which the higher education department did not give.
The July verdict had directed the top education department official to make a decision on Patnaik’s representation and communicate the outcome within a timeframe. It had also allowed the department to seek additional information or documents from Patnaik if required, but cautioned against unnecessary delays.
But no action was taken despite being granted time until December 12, 2025, when the government lawyer assured the court that compliance would be reported at the next hearing. But this was not done.
