IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM PRESENT : THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE S.SIRI JAGAN WEDNESDAY, THE 30TH NOVEMBER 2011 / 9TH AGRAHAYANA 1933 WP(C).No. 31745 of 2011(P) --------------------------------------- PETITIONER(S): ------------------------- M.P.AUGUSTINE,NOW RESIDING AT INFRA WHITE HALL (C4) PANAMPILLY NAGAR, COCHIN. BY ADV. SRI.M.RAMESH CHANDER SRI.ANEESH JOSEPH SMT. SHIJI P.M. RESPONDENT(S): -------------------------- 1. STATE OF KERALA,REPRESENTED BY CHIEF SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT OF KERALA,TRIVANDRUM 695 001. 2. DISTRICT COLLECTOR, ERNAKULAM 682 030. 3. THE DEPUTY TAHSILDAR(RR),COCHIN 682 001. BY GOVT. PLEADER SMT.SHOBA ANNAMA EAPEN THIS WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON 30/11/2011, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING: tss W.P.(C) NO.31745/2011 APPENDIX PETITIONER(S) EXHIBITS P1:- COPY OF THE ORDER IN RP 643/2001 IN WA 1184/93 DATED 13/8/2003 P2:- COPY OF THE NOTICE UNDER SECTION 7 OF THE REVENUE RECOVERY ACT. P3:-COPY OF THE NOTICE UNDER SECTION 34 OF THE REVENUE RECOVERY ACT P4:-COPY OF THE REPRESENTATION DATED 18/11/2011 TO THE 2ND RESPONDENT AND 3RD RESPONDENT RESPONDENTS' EXHIBITS NIL:- TRUE COPY P.A. TO JUDGE tss S.SIRI JAGAN,J. ----------------------- WP(C) No.31745 OF 2011 --------------------------------- Dated this the 30 th day of November , 2011 J U D G M E N T The petitioner is one of the Abkari contractors who had undergone punishment under Sec. 326 of the Indian Penal Code in connection with the famous “Vypeen Liquor Tragedy”. In Writ Appeal No. 1184 of 1993 relating to the payment of compensation to the victims of the tragedy, this court permitted the Government to recover the compensation paid by the Government to the victims from the contractors as well as the excise officers who were in office in the concerned range at the time of tragedy. From one of the contractors, the Government had recovered an amount of Rs.7 lakhs and the property of another contractor was brought to sale in which an amount of Rs. 52 lakhs was recovered . From the excise offficials only small amounts have been recovered. WP(C) No.31745 OF 2011 2 The petitioner has now been served with notices under the Revenue Recovery Act for recovery of an amount of Rs. 7 lakhs. The petitioner has filed Ext.P4 objections before the second respondent in respect thereof. The petitioner seeks a direction to the second respondent to consider and pass orders on Ext.P4 expeditiously. Having heard the learned Government Pleader also, I dispose of this writ petition with a direction to the second respondent to consider and pass orders on Ext. P4 as expeditiously as possible, at any rate, within two weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of the judgment, after affording an opportunity of being heard to the petitioner. S.SIRI JAGAN mm JUDGE WP(C) No.31745 OF 2011 3 WP(C) No.31745 OF 2011 4