The Madras High Court has directed the SP attached to Tiruvannamalai to secure the presence of IAS officer Veer Pratap Singh, now serving as the Additional Collector of the same district, on November 15 in connection with a contempt of court case.
Justice P N Prakash gave the direction while passing further interim orders on a contempt application, recently.
Originally, for non-compliance of the order of the writ court, a statutory notice was issued on September 12, directing the officer, who was working as the Sub-Collector of Mettur at that point of time, to be physically present before the court that day.
But he failed appear. Instead, his personal assistant (PA) was present before the court. The government advocate submitted Singh had filed an application seeking to dispense with his appearance. It was stated that on the instructions of the Salem district Collector to accompany him for a case before the National Commission for SCs/STs at New Delhi, he had gone there. He had expressed his inability to appear before the court that day.
The judge noted that effectively, Singh had chosen to comply with the order of the district Collector to accompany him to New Delhi, instead of appearing before this Court, in response to the statutory notice issued.
"I am not inclined to accept the explanation given by the respondent (Singh) for his inability to appear before this court," the judge observed and dismissed the application.
The government advocate submitted the order on the original writ petition was now complied with.
"I am not inclined to condone the delay in complying with the orders, since the respondent herein 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 the presence of Singh.
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.
-With PTI Input
