The Patna High Court, on Monday, dealt sternly with the non-compliance of its orders by the Forest Department, leading to a significant directive involving the state’s Chief Conservator of Forests, N. Jawahar Babu. The court has summoned him to appear on July 29, 2024, to address the charges of contempt related to a licensing case under the Bihar Timber Felling Law.
This judicial action follows a prolonged delay in fulfilling the court’s directives, which initially ordered the issuance of a license to Sanjay Kumar for his sawmill in February 2022. Despite the lapse of two years, the department failed to comply, prompting Sanjay to file a contempt petition.
The case, heard by a division bench comprising Justices P.B. Bajanthri and Anupama Chakravarti, underscores the ongoing struggle faced by individuals against bureaucratic inertia. Kumar Dhirendra Singh, the petitioner’s lawyer, emphasized the undue hardship his client faced due to the department’s negligence.
Also Read
Additionally, in a related hearing, Justice Mohit Kumar Shah of the Patna High Court ordered the Director-General of Police (DGP) to personally investigate and file an affidavit concerning allegations of unauthorized police interference in construction and repair activities in Khagaria’s Press Gali. The complaint was brought by Rishi Kumar, a peaceful music teacher, who claimed that local police and his neighbor Neeraj Kumar were conspiring against him, including threats of implicating him in false criminal cases.
