HC issues contempt notice to Delhi govt officer

An incensed Delhi High Court today came down heavily on a senior officer dealing with night shelters in the city and issued contempt notice against him saying he has attempted to "interfere in administration of justice."
A bench of Chief Justice D Murugesan and Justice V K Jain refused to accept the apology of A K Sharma, Director of night shelter in Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board, who earned the court's ire for writing a letter to an NGO, which has raised the issue of conditions of night shelters before the court, asking it for information on how payment is being made to its advocate and other details.

"How many nights did you spend in the night shelters.
"Go and spend nights on roads in the winter then you will know the real situation. Sleeping in AC room, you cannot feel the plight of poor.... He has to face action now. He has to lose his job," the court said lashing out at the official.
Issuing show-cause notice to Sharma, who was present in the court to attend the PIL relating to city's night shelters, the bench sought his reply by April 10.
"When the court has taken suo motu cognisance of the matter and case is still pending with it, in what capacity he wrote the letter to the NGO," the bench also said.

"In our opinion it is a clear case of interference in the administration of justice. We know hat is happening in the night shelters. He has to explain why contempt of court proceedings should not be initiated against him," the bench also said.
Senior advocate Jayant Bhushan appearing for the NGO told the court that Sharma had on February 14 written the letter to the NGO asking it to explain how payment is being made to its advocate, adding that if information is not provided it will be presumed that advocate is being paid "unsystematically".
To this submission, the bench asked Sharma why he wrote the letter to the NGO when the court is monitoring the case.