E-Paper
Allahabad high court sentences additional chief secretary till rising of the court
Justice Vivek Chaudhary passed the order on a contempt petition filed by Dr Kishore Tandon and eight other persons alleging wilful and deliberate violation of order of this court dated September 21, 2017 given in connection with the seniority list of review officers.
The Lucknow bench of Allahabad high court on Tuesday sentenced additional chief secretary Mahesh Kumar Gupta till rising of the court (up to 4.15 pm of Tuesday) and slapped ₹25,000 fine on him in a contempt case.
The court also said the fine shall not be borne by the state government and it was to be deposited by the contemnor (Gupta) with the state legal service authority within a week.
Justice Vivek Chaudhary passed the order on a contempt petition filed by Dr Kishore Tandon and eight other persons alleging wilful and deliberate violation of order of this court dated September 21, 2017 given in connection with the seniority list of review officers.
The contempt petition was heard earlier by the court on July 10, 2018 and Gupta (then principal secretary) was found guilty.
However, on March 25, Gupta’s counsel requested that the hearing of the contempt petition be deferred till disposal of special appeal.
But the court refused the request and directed Gupta to be present in person in court on March 26 (Tuesday).
As per court’s order, Gupta appeared before the court on Tuesday and was taken into custody.
An affidavit of compliance was filed submitting that the persons who had been promoted in violation of the court’s order have been restored back to their original position.
It was also stated that benefit which were to be accrued under orders of this court to the petitioners and other persons have been considered and appropriate order had been passed. However, the orders were not brought on record as yet but would be placed on record soon. The court granted a week’s time to bring on record the further orders of compliance. The next hearing will be held on April 3.
