Municipal secretary arrested, produced before Kerala HC in contempt case

KOCHI: A municipal secretary was arrested and produced before the

Kerala high court

on Wednesday for failing to obey the court’s orders repeatedly.


Pathanamthitta municipal corporation secretary Sherla Beegam was arrested on an order issued by justice PV Kunhikrishnan after considering a contempt of court petition filed by Suma Devi of Konni and Asset Homes MD V Sunil Kumar.

In the contempt plea, it was alleged that the municipal secretary has not implemented the court’s order of July 2021 to take a decision on an application for building permit filed by the petitioners within seven days.

Considering the plea, the court had ordered the secretary to implement the order or appear before the court on March 14th to provide an explanation. When the case came up for hearing on March 16th, it was noticed that no action was taken. The court made the state police chief a party in the case and ordered for arresting the secretary and to produce her before the court on March 28th.

In the order, the court had directed that once the arrest of the secretary is recorded, she should be released upon furnishing a bond if she is willing to appear before the court by herself. When the case came up for hearing on Wednesday, police informed that her arrest was recorded. The secretary appeared in person and informed that the court’s order has been implemented.

Ending the contempt proceedings, the court told the secretary that if she does not agree to a court order, she has to take legal recourse and should not abstain from implementing the order. The court also warned her not to repeat such behavior.