Contempt proceedings against district collector closed

Madras High Court today discharged V Veeraraghava Rao, Collector of Thiuruvallur from proceedings initiated against him on a contempt petition filed by Senthil Nagar Welfare Association of Thirumullaivoyal.
The matter relates to the alleged ill-treating of representatives of the for filing a contempt of Court case against him.
The Association had moved the court highlighting a attempt to encroach a children's play space into a residential layout. The Association also claimed that a 100-year-old banyan tree had been destroyed by the encroacher who poured acid into its trunk and that only its dead trunk was seen at the site.
As no action had been taken against the encroachment within the court-stipulated time, the association filed a contempt petition. It also complained that a sub-inspector was summoning them to police station for inquiry in connection with the matter though it was pending in court.

The First bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice T S Sivagnanam before whom an affidavit was filed by Rao, who appeared in person with photographs showing the demolition of the unauthorized construction on the Government, land in its order said "the contempt petition accordingly stands closed and the contemnor is discharged from the contempt proceedings."
The bench also directed the police to close the case against the petitioner and closed the contempt petition as the collector and other contemnor appeared and apologized for their act.