SC Summons Delhi BJP Chief Manoj Tiwari For Breaking Lock Of Sealed House; Contempt Notice Issued

The Supreme Court today issued contempt notice against Delhi BJP President Manoj Tiwari for openly defying court-appointed monitoring committee on sealing by breaking the lock of a house sealed by East Delhi Municipal Corporation on Sunday.

An angry bench of Justices Madan B Lokur, Deepak Gupta and Abdul Nazeer also asked Tiwari to be personally present in the court coming Tuesday and explain his act.

The order came after the Monitoring Committee filed a complaint in the court.

Delhi Police yesterday lodged an FIR against Tiwari in connection with the incident.

The property in question had been sealed by the EDMC on Friday for allegedly running an illegal dairy from the premises. Following the FIR, the monitoring committee, appointed by the Supreme Court to identify and seal buildings that violate land use norms, submitted a report in the apex court about the incident.

Based on the complaint from the deputy director (veterinary) Shahadra, north zone, an FIR was registered against Tiwari by the Delhi Police under the Indian Penal Code’s Section 188 and relevant provisions of the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act.

The IPC section pertains to disobedience to an order promulgated by a public servant and punishment under it can be for a maximum term of six months in prison and a fine.

The SC order came after the monitoring committee headed by Bhure Lal reminded the bench headed by Justice M B Lokur of its earlier order that “none will tamper with the seals any tampering with the seal will be sternly dealt with”.

“We had recommended stringent action against political leaders and others who are found obstructing the sealing process by taking them into custody. Monitoring committee submits that despite repeated directions of the SC the members of political parties and other such persons are intentionally and deliberately violating and showing utter disregard to the directions passed by SC for political gains”, their report said.