HC issues non-bailable warrants against MPDO, gram panchayat secretary for ignoring court orders

Hyderabad: Sending a stern message to government officials who don’t follow up on court orders, the Telangana High Court on Friday issued non-bailable warrants against a mandal parishad development officer (MPDO) and a gram panchayat secretary for failing to file a status report on illegal encroachments and constructions. Both officials neither appeared before the court in person nor filed a status report.

The CJ Division Bench, while issuing the non-bailable warrants against the two officials, said “This case should go as a stern message to people, who do not follow court orders. These officers will lose their posts and will be suspended. People think that they are immune to the process of law but no citizen is immune to law. The MPDO and the secretary of Gram Panchayat have flouted the orders of the Court.”

The Division Bench, comprising Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Anil Kumar Jukanti, was adjudicating a PIL filed by S Ashok Reddy, MPTC Majidpur village, Shameerpet mandal in Medchal Malkajgiri district.

He was seeking direction from the Medchal Malkajgiri district collector to conduct a detailed probe into the allegations of illegal encroachments and constructions. The petitioner had said that a portion of land in survey numbers 40 and 48 in Majidpur, earmarked for people belonging to weaker sections, has been encroached upon by private persons.

Before this hearing, the CJ Bench had directed the Shameerpet mandal tahsildar to submit a status report regarding the complaint made by the petitioner. On June 20, this year, the CJ Bench directed both officials to file a status report on the illegal encroachments and constructions on the said land and list the steps taken by them to stop such constructions.

On Friday, though the standing counsel for the Zilla Parishad informed the court that both the officials were on election duty, the CJ court didn’t consider his contentions and issued non-bailable warrants.

The CJ bench directed the registry of the High Court to communicate this arrest order to the SP of the Medchal Malkajgiri district, who will take appropriate action for producing both officials before the court on December 11. The court adjourned the court till the same date.