Hanamkonda tahsildar gets six-month jail for contempt

Hyderabad: The Hyderabad High Court has sentenced the tahsildar of Hanamkonda to imprisonment for six months with a fine of Rs 2,000 after holding him guilty of civil and criminal contempt. 

A division bench comprising Justice P.V. Sanjay Kumar and Justice T. Amarnath was hearing a contempt of court case filed by one Mr Tammisetti Venugopal against the tahasildar for not obeying the order passed by the High Court in 2014 to grant pattadar passbook within three months. The court had also taken up a criminal contempt case suo motu for interfering in the administration of justice by placing the ante-dated proceedings to show that the court order was implemented.

The bench noted, “The actions of the tahasildar constituted will-full disobedience as per Section 2(b) of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971. That apart, the Court found that the said proceedings have been ante-dated only to escape the rigour of these contempt proceedings. 

The judge ruled that the tahasildar was held guilty of committing civil and criminal contempt. The bench said the tahsildar never tendered an apology to the court for his conduct. All  along,  he  only apologised  for  the  delay  in  passing  an  order, despite  ample opportunity being given to him.  It showed lack of remorse or second thoughts and remained willfully adamant, it said.