IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB & HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH Contempt Appeal No. 4 of 2006 Dated of Decision:- January 10, 2008 Shri P.S.Sodhi ....APPELLANT VERSUS Tarlochan Singh and another ....RESPONDENTS CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE MEHTAB S.GILL HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE RAKESH KUMAR JAIN Present:- Mr. Akshay Bhan, Advocate for the appellant. None for the respondents. ------ MEHTAB S.GILL, J. This is a Contempt Appeal filed by P.S.Sodhi, the then Collector, Urban Estate, Punjab for setting aside the order dated 20.2.2006 (Annexure A) passed by the learned Single Judge in COCP No. 548 of 2001. Learned counsel for the appellant has argued, that the appellant was not aware of the order dated 23.7.2004, as he had taken over as Collector on 13.2.2004 and the previous Collector Shri Depinder Singh was made party by name. This was the reason that the office did not have any knowledge of the contempt petition pending against the Collector. Learned counsel has further argued, that the appellant has full respect for the Court and he did not have any intention of undermining the authority of the Court. We have heard the learned counsel for the appellant and perused the record with his assistance. This Court passed an order dated 20.2.2006 in COCP No. 548 of 2001, that the amount of money, which was to be disbursed to the claimants, was not done so. Respondents were compelled to file COCP No. 548 of 2001. The contempt petition was disposed of in terms of order dated 23.7.2004. The amount of money was still not disbursed and the respondents were compelled to file a Civil Misc. application for the revival of the contempt petition. While disposing of the Civil Misc. application, the Hon’ble Single Judge made the following observations: - “…The aforementioned conduct of the respondent is contemptuous and deserves to be condemned. However, since the award has now been passed, I am taking a lenient view by warning the respondent to be careful in future. It is made clear that if any such contempt petition is filed in this Court against the respondent, then serious view shall be taken and a copy of this order shall be added with such a contempt petition. A copy of this order be sent to the Chief Secretary, Punjab so as to place on the personal file of the Officer. The Computer Section of the High Court is directed to make a note of this case so as to comply with the directions with regard to adding of a copy of this order”. The grievance of the appellant is that as the appellant was found to be innocent, the remarks as above, should have not have been made, as they now are affecting the professional career of the appellant. 2 We are in consonance with the learned Counsel for the appellant, that once the appellant has been purged and was found to be innocent, meaning thereby that he had done no wrong, therefore these adverse remarks, which are to be put on the file of the appellant, were unwarranted. Order of the Hon’ble Single Judge dated 20.2.2006 is partly set aside to the extent which is as under: - “…The aforementioned conduct of the respondent is contemptuous and deserves to be condemned. However, since the award has now been passed, I am taking a lenient view by warning the respondent to be careful in future. It is made clear that if any such contempt petition is filed in this Court against the respondent, then serious view shall be taken and a copy of this order shall be added with such a contempt petition. A copy of this order be sent to the Chief Secretary, Punjab so as to place on the personal file of the Officer. The Computer Section of the High Court is directed to make a note of this case so as to comply with the directions with regard to adding of a copy of this order”. These remarks of the Hon’ble Single Judge shall not be put on the personal file of the appellant and the warning given by the Hon’ble Single Judge to the appellant, “to be careful in future” is also withdrawn. With the above observations, Contempt Appeal is disposed of. (MEHTAB S.GILL) JUDGE (RAKESH KUMAR JAIN) January 10, 2008 JUDGE SKArora WHETHER TO BE REFERRED TO REPORTER? YES/NO 3 4