Daijiworld Media Network - Bantwal (SP)

Bantwal, Jul 31: Relating to contempt of court allegation made against former tahsildar of this taluk, Y Ravi, a bailable arrest warrant has been issued.

The division bench of the high court comprising Justice Raghavendra S Chauhan and Justice H T Narendra Prasad, which heard civil contempt of court complaint filed by Saraswatamma and others from Veerakamba village in the taluk, issued this order.

As per the orders passed by the bench earlier, the tahsildar was required to be personally present for the hearing on Monday. But he remained absent. The bench expressed strong resentment at the absence of tahsildar and questioned in strong words about the disrespect shown towards the orders of the judicial bench. It also issued bailable arrest warrant against the former tahsildar, who has been named as accused in the case with a surety for Rs 30,000 and posted hearing in the case to August 14.

The subdivisional officer had passed an order on September 29, 2016, to pay interest on the compensation amount fixed for the land acquired by the government, but the tahsildar had not obeyed the order, the complainants, Saraswatamma and others had said in a petition filed in the high court. The single judge bench of the high court had levied a fine of Rs 5,000 on the then tahsildar and ordered payment of compensation amount to the petitioners along with interest at the rate of 11.6 percent per annum. This judgement was delivered on October 7, 2017, but the official had failed to implement these orders, the petitioners had said in their contempt of court petition.