The Karnataka High Court on Friday admonished an excise inspector, who “lied” to the judge, by directing him to stay put in the court hall till the end of day’s proceedings.
Parameshwarappa, Inspector of Excise attached to the office of the Deputy Commissioner (Excise-West), was initially asked to stand in the court hall and was later told to sit in a chair.
Justice Ram Mohan Reddy, who was hearing a petition on the legality of shifting a liquor shop to a new location, sought certain clarification from the government counsel, who was representing the Excise Department. And when the counsel sought instructions from Mr. Parameshwarappa, the court wanted to know the identity of the official from whom the instruction was sought.
When the counsel said that he was the excise inspector of the area, the judge wondered why the inspector was earlier talking to the counsel representing M/s Anand Wines in Vijayanagar, Bangalore, against whom the petition was filed. Pointing out that he had earlier noticed that the inspector was talking to the counsel representing M/s Anand Wines, Justice Reddy asked the inspector why he was talking to the counsel representing the owner of the liquor shop.
However, Mr. Parameshwarappa told the court that he “did not speak” to that counsel.
Following this, the judged asked the counsel representing the liquor shop what the inspector was telling him.
To this, the counsel said that the inspector did try to communicate some thing but he [the counsel] sent him away.
Taking the inspector to task, Justice Reddy observed that Mr. Parameshwarappa “lied” to the court though the inspector did speak to that counsel and warned him that he could be sent to prison as his conduct amounted to contempt of court.
ApologyAt this juncture, the government counsel apologised to the court on behalf of the inspector and later Mr. Parameshwarappa too apologised.
Following this, the court directed the inspector to remain present in the court hall till the day’s proceedings concluded while admonishing him for his conduct.
