HC raps Bikaner DC for not appearing before it despite summons

"Bikaner DC Prithvi Raj Sankhla's action is tantamount to contempt of the court," a division bench comprising justices Govind Mathur and R S Chouhan observed, and ordered him to appear before it on September 18.

The court also warned him of "a suitable punishment".

The government counsel told the court that Sankhla was in Jaipur to attend a conference, so he could not appear before the court.