Allahabad HC imposes Rs 5 lakh fine on Gorakhpur ex-DM for 'malicious' action
Prayagraj, Nov 21: The Allahabad High Court has imposed Rs 5 lakh fine on former Gorakhpur District Magistrate K Vijyendra Pandian for invoking Goonda Act against a petitioner with "malicious" intention and "harassing" him in respect of his disputed property.
Hearing a petition filed by Kailash Jaiswal, the bench comprising Justices Suneet Kumar and Syed Waiz Mian quashed the notice issued by Gorakhpur district administration in 2019 by which Goonda Act was invoked against the petitioner.
The court also directed the Uttar Pradesh government to initiate an inquiry against Pandian, a 2008-batch IAS officer.
It was alleged that the petitioner was being coerced by the district administration to release the property in dispute in favour of it (district administration).
The high court, in its order dated November 14, 2022, observed that it is essential to refer to at least two incidents of commission of crime for applicability of clause (i) of section 2(b) of the Act. But there is reference of one incident only in the notice, it said.
The court further said, "Having regard to the facts and circumstance of the case, prima facie, we are convinced that the proceedings initiated against the petitioner is not only malicious but to harass him in respect of the property in dispute which admittedly vests with the petitioner lawfully."
"Further, the conduct of the respondent, in particular, the second respondent, District Magistrate, Gorakhpur, clearly demonstrates that he has no respect for the rule and law and has become law unto himself," the court said.
The court further said, "In the circumstance, we are constrained to quash the impugned notice dated April 11, 2019, issued by the District Magistrate, Gorakhpur. A cost assessed at Rs 5 lakh is imposed upon him to be deposited with the High Court Legal Services Committee within 10 weeks.
"The first respondent Principal Secretary (Home Department), Government of UP, Lucknow, is directed to get the matter inquired and initiate disciplinary enquiry against the then delinquent District Magistrate, Gorakhpur."
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Bengaluru: Man arrested for stealing Rs. 25 Lakh from his workplace
Bengaluru: The Vijayanagar Police have reportedly arrested an individual in connection with the case of stealing Rs. 25 Lakhs in cash from the company where he used to be working.
The arrested individual has been identified as Mahesh, who allegedly committed the theft at KNS Infrastructure Private Limited located on the Vijayanagar service road.
Mahesh, who worked as a document executive at the company, reportedly absconded after stealing the cash on the night of March 20.
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Mahesh is the son of a retired sub-inspector. Following the disappearance of Mahesh, the owner of the company filed a complaint with the Vijayanagar police.
Meanwhile the police probing the case said that they arrested the accused from a tollgate near Madikeri on April 28th afternoon and later confiscated Rs 24.50 lakh from Mahesh’s aide’s room in Moodalapalya, Bengaluru.
