The Madhya Pradesh High Court has mandated a unique form of reparation in a criminal contempt case by ordering Rahul Sahu to plant 50 indigenous trees within a month. This decision was reached on December 2 by a division bench consisting of Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva and Justice Vinay Saraf, which also accepted Sahu’s apology for his actions.
The order specifies that the trees, each at least 4 feet in height, are to be planted in the Sambalgarh area of Morena district, under the supervision of the Sub Divisional Officer (Forest) of Sambalgarh. This resolution follows the court’s suo motu action stemming from a contempt reference by the Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) of Sambalgarh, which highlighted Sahu’s inappropriate social media activities.
According to the court, Sahu, described as semi-literate with education only up to the 10th grade and no formal legal training, had expressed regret over his actions. He had inadvertently posted a photograph on social media of the court during the proceedings of a family case filed by his wife. This act led to the JMFC taking cognizance of the matter and eventually referring it to the high court when Sahu failed to respond to the initial notices.
In his defense, Sahu presented an affidavit stating his limited understanding of legal procedures and courtroom decorum, and he offered an unconditional apology alongside a commitment to avoid such actions in the future. He also volunteered for social service as part of his restitution.
