Contempt Of Court-"Serve Iftaar Food On A Daily Basis To Avoid Penalty", Telangana High Court Directs Govt. Officer

The bench of Chief Justice Hima Kohli and Justice B. Vijaysen Reddy, was hearing a contempt appeal filed by an Excise Deputy Commissioner, Syed Yasin Quereshi.

The Contempt appeal was directed against an order dated 20^th January 2021 passed by the Single Judge holding the appellant guilty of contempt of court in view of disobedience of the order dated 24^th August 2020 passed in W.P.No.13580 of 2020.

Importantly, the appellant had unilaterally imposed additional conditions on the respondent for release of the vehicle in question that did not have the sanction of the court.

In an affidavit filed by him, it was conceded that no steps were taken by the appellant between 28^th August 2020 to 27^th November 2020 to comply with the directions issued by the Court vide its order dated 24^th August 2020.

The appellant further tendered an unqualified apology for noncompliance of the order passed by the learned Single Judge and assured the Court that he shall be more cautious in future.

Accepting the explanation offered in the additional affidavit and the unqualified apology tendered by the appellant, the Court remarked,

"The fine imposed on the appellant in the impugned order dated 20^th January 2021 in C.C.No.837 of 2020 is waived, subject to the condition that it being the month of Ramzan, he feeds at least twenty (20) people, who he finds have gathered outside any mosque in his neighborhood to break the fast during the Iftar period, on a daily basis for a period of one week."

The appellant has been directed to file an affidavit of compliance within one week thereafter. In the event the said affidavit is not filed, the Registry has been directed to place the matter back before the Court for appropriate orders.

The instant appeal was, accordingly disposed of.

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