Begusarai, Bihar – The Court of the District Judge-III, Begusarai, has recommended the initiation of contempt of court proceedings in the Patna High Court against the District Magistrate (DM) and the Superintendent of Police (SP) of Begusarai. Presiding Judge Brajesh Kumar Singh took the step citing the officials’ failure to comply with a 2023 award directing them to pay compensation to the son of a person who died in an accident involving a police vehicle. The court strongly rebuked the administration’s excuse of “ensuing elections” for the delay, terming it legally unsustainable.
Background of the Case
The matter originates from an award dated August 18, 2023, in which the court ordered the SP and DM of Begusarai to pay a sum of ₹11,61,318 along with 6% interest amounting to ₹1,15,819 to the petitioner, Manish Kumar. The compensation was awarded after Mr. Kumar’s guardian died due to an accident caused by a police vehicle bearing registration number BR9A1368.
The judgment notes that the SP is the custodian of the police vehicle at the district level, and the DM/Collector is the representative of the State Government. The court had directed that the payment be made within one month of the award. However, as stated in the order, “even after a lapse of more than two (2) years, the above said amount was not paid.” This led the petitioner to file an execution proceeding to enforce the court’s award.
The court observed that despite “innumerable requests and orders,” the officials remained “totally unmoved,” showing a “total lack of empathy on the part of both the S.P., Begusarai and the D.M., Begusarai towards a poor petitioner.”
Arguments of the State
During the hearing on October 14, 2025, the counsel for the State, the Additional Government Pleader (AGP), submitted that the court’s orders could not be complied with “because of the ensuing Bihar Legislative Assembly election in the month of November 2025.”
Court’s Analysis and Observations
The court outrightly rejected the state’s argument. Judge Brajesh Kumar Singh observed that the award was passed in 2023 and noted the passage of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and the upcoming Panchayat elections in 2026.
The court stated, “In a democracy, some election would always be there. So, the pendency of elections cannot be legally sustainable ground for not complying the orders of this court.”
In a scathing critique of the administration’s priorities, the order read, “…several thousands of crores are available in the government-exchequer to hold election every year, but there is no paltry money to pay for the rightful adjudicated claim of the poor petitioner. If this attitude is let to be continued, people are bound to loose faith in the democracy, and in the judicial process.” The court emphasized that “the democratic system exists for the benefit of the people, and not the people exist for the system.”
The judgment further noted the “indolent attitude of the Respondents” and the “total failure of the entire government machinaries,” holding them personally accountable. The court observed that the DM, Begusarai, was “acting under the impression as if he were immune from all the judicial process of the District Court.”
Finding that its specific orders passed on multiple dates (including 10.07.2025, 21.08.2025, 24.09.2025, and 07.10.2025) were violated, the court concluded that both officials “have committed the ‘contempt of court’.”
The Decision
The court directed its Office Clerk (O.C) to register a miscellaneous case for initiating a contempt proceeding against Shri Manish, SP, Begusarai, and Shri Tushar Singla, DM, Begusarai.
The order directs the O.C to “send the extracts of relevant file to the Hon’ble High Court, Patna recommending to hold a contempt proceeding against S.P., Begusarai and D.M., Begusarai.”
The DM and SP have been given 15 days to file their responses in the district court, failing which the files will be forwarded to the Patna High Court without their replies. The case is scheduled for the next hearing on October 30, 2025.
