Andhra Pradesh High Court awards jail-term to 3 officials for contempt

VIJAYAWADA: Justice B Devanand of Andhra Pradesh High Court on Thursday awarded jail sentence to three officials in different contempt of court cases. However, the judge stayed the implementation of orders to allow the convicted to appeal against the verdict.

Officials built a village secretariat building in the place belonging to the water resources department at G Singavaram in Kurnool district. When village sarpanch Nagendra did not listen to their instructions with regard to the payment for the construction of the building, they cancelled his cheque power. Nagendra approached the HC, which took the matter seriously and treated it as a contempt of court as its earlier orders with regard to cancellation of cheque power were violated.

Hearing the petition, Justice Devanand sentenced District Panchayat Officer (DPO) Prabhakar Rao to one week simple imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 1,000 for contempt of court. However, the judge stayed his orders for one week. He also gave similar punishment to Chittoor DPO Dasaratha Rami Reddy in a cheque power cancellation case and gave one week time for going for an appeal against verdict.

In another case, the HC directed the APSRTC to give 30% bonus marks to those who worked as apprentice with the corporation for Shramik posts. When the same was not implemented, candidates moved the HC.
The judge deemed that RTC Regional Manager Sumant R Antony was negligent in implementing the court orders. The HC sentenced him to one month simple imprisonment and imposed Rs 1,000 fine. He was given one week time to go for an appeal.