‘Disobeyed Court’s Order To Return Property’
Madras High Court held IAS officer Anshul Mishra in contempt and sentenced him to one month in jail for disobeying its order to return land acquired by the TN Housing Board in 1983 to its rightful owners.
Tamil Nadu cadre IAS officer Anshul Mishra has been found in contempt by the Madras High Court and sentenced to one month of simple imprisonment.
Currently serving as the Member Secretary of the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA), Mishra was held in contempt for failing to comply with a directive to return a plot of land acquired by the Tamil Nadu Housing Board (TNHB) in 1983 to its original owners.
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The petitioners, siblings R. Lalithambai and K.S. Viswanathan, sought the recovery of their 17 cents of land, which had been taken by the TNHB at a nominal rate of Rs 1 per cent.
They previously filed a writ petition with the Madras High Court, which was resolved on November 22, 2023, when the court instructed the CMDA to issue an appropriate order within two months.
However, the CMDA did not comply, leading the petitioners to submit another plea in August 2024. The CMDA subsequently rejected their claims in an order dated February 2 of this year.
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In an order issued on April 28, Justice P. Velmurugan of the single bench remarked that Mishra had “wantonly and wilfully” disobeyed the court’s directive, and noted that such behavior among officials is not uncommon.
Justice Velmurugan stated,
“In numerous cases, it is seen that poor and aggrieved litigants, after approaching public authorities for redressal of genuine grievances, are forced to approach the constitutional courts for directions. Even after judicial intervention, the concerned authorities, for reasons best known to them, either delay or altogether ignore compliance, compelling the litigants to resort to contempt proceedings for enforcement of their rights,”
The court emphasized that such conduct undermines the fundamental principles of justice.
The court said,
“The confidence of the citizens in the justice delivery system rests upon the assurance that the orders of the courts will be implemented promptly and effectively. Public service is not a privilege but a trust reposed in the officials by the people. Public servants are answerable not only to their immediate administrative superiors but ultimately to the law and the Constitution,”
The court imposed a one-month simple imprisonment along with a fine of Rs 25,000, granting time until the appeal is filed for the enforcement of the order.
