The Karnataka High Court on Thursday imposed a cost of ₹1 lakh on a retired additional director, town planning, of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) for submitting a false affidavit in a contempt of court case.
A Division Bench comprising Justice Jayant M. Patel and Justice S. Sujatha passed the order after M.B. Thippanna admitted that he had back dated his order relating to a representation by Abshot Layout Residents’ Association on complaints about a high-rise building.
Initially, Mr. Thippanna claimed to have considered the representation within two weeks, as ordered by the High Court in July last year. However, later, he admitted to back dating the document fearing action by the court.
When the Bench said that strict action deserves to be taken not only for the so-called breach but also for misleading the court, a counsel for Mr. Thippanna said that the officer tenders an unconditional apology and is prepared to pay the cost of the contempt of court petition. The counsel requested the court to spare him from any punishment since has retired from service.
The Bench accepted the unconditional apology and imposed a cost of ₹1 lakh, which he has been told to pay within two weeks.
Job for Leesha
In another contempt of court case, the State government on Thursday told the Bench that a decision had been taken to offer compassionate appointment in Group-C cadre for Leesha, who was injured in the bomb blast near the BJP office at Malleshwaram a few years ago.
But the government counsel sought two weeks to identify a suitable post subject to the rules framed by the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms.
The Bench adjourned till July 20 the petition filed by Ms. Leesha complaining that the State had failed to obey the court’s direction to give her a job.
