Court directs SP to secure presence of IAS officer before it

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court directed the Tiruvannamalai SP to secure the presence of an IAS officer on November 15 in connection with a contempt of court case.

Justice MS Ramesh gave the direction while passing further interim orders on a contempt application.

On September 12, a statutory notice was issued to Tiruvannamalai Additional Collector Veer Pratap Singh, who was working as the Sub-Collector of Mettur at that point of time, for not complying with the order of the writ court. The officer was directed to be physically present before the court that day.

However, only his personal assistant was present before the court. The government advocate submitted that Singh had filed an application seeking to dispense with his appearance because he was directed by the Salem Collector to accompany him for a case before the National Commission for SCs/STs in New Delhi.

But the court noted that Singh had effectively chosen to comply with the Collector’s order to accompany him to Delhi, instead of appearing before the court in response to the statutory notice. “I am not inclined to accept the explanation given by the respondent for his inability to appear,” the judge observed and dismissed the application.

Though the government advocate submitted that the order on the original writ petition was now complied with, the court was not satisfied. “I am not inclined to condone the delay in complying with the orders, since the respondent is alleged to have disobeyed the orders of the writ court earlier and had once again disobeyed by not complying with the statutory notice,” the judge said and issued bailable warrant to ensure Singh’s presence.

“The SP shall secure his physical presence in the court on November 15,” the judge added and posted the matter for further hearing on that day.: The Madras High Court directed the Tiruvannamalai SP to secure the presence of an IAS officer on November 15 in connection with a contempt of court case. Justice MS Ramesh gave the direction while passing further interim orders on a contempt application.

On September 12, a statutory notice was issued to Tiruvannamalai Additional Collector Veer Pratap Singh, who was working as the Sub-Collector of Mettur at that point of time, for not complying with the order of the writ court. The officer was directed to be physically present before the court that day.

However, only his personal assistant was present before the court. The government advocate submitted that Singh had filed an application seeking to dispense with his appearance because he was directed by the Salem Collector to accompany him for a case before the National Commission for SCs/STs in New Delhi.

But the court noted that Singh had effectively chosen to comply with the Collector’s order to accompany him to Delhi, instead of appearing before the court in response to the statutory notice. “I am not inclined to accept the explanation given by the respondent for his inability to appear,” the judge observed and dismissed the application.

Though the government advocate submitted that the order on the original writ petition was now complied with, the court was not satisfied. “I am not inclined to condone the delay in complying with the orders, since the respondent is alleged to have disobeyed the orders of the writ court earlier and had once again disobeyed by not complying with the statutory notice,” the judge said and issued bailable warrant to ensure Singh’s presence.

“The SP shall secure his physical presence in the court on November 15,” the judge added and posted the matter for further hearing on that day.