While the sentence has been stayed temporarily to allow time for an appeal, the judge instructed the High Court Registry to proceed with enforcing the punishment if no appeal is filed within the given timeframe.
Published May 24, 2025 | 9:30 AM ⚊ Updated May 24, 2025 | 9:30 AM
Madras High Court. (Wikimedia Commons)
Synopsis: The Madras High Court sentenced IAS officer Anshul Mishra to one month in jail for contempt of court over non-compliance with a 2023 order in a Koyambedu land dispute. Despite a late hearing, the court ruled the delay unacceptable. A ₹25,000 compensation was also ordered. The judge criticized official negligence and emphasized accountability to law and public trust.
The Madras High Court has sentenced senior IAS officer Anshul Mishra, who served as the Member Secretary of the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA), to one month of imprisonment in a contempt of court case.
The punishment relates to non-compliance with a 2023 high court order concerning a long-pending land dispute in Chennai’s Koyambedu area.
In 1983, the Tamil Nadu Housing Board acquired 17 cents of land in Koyambedu, owned by Lalithambal and her brother Viswanathan, for the construction of a multi-storey residential building. However, the proposed building was never constructed, and the land remained unused for decades.
In 2003, the original landowners filed a petition in the High Court seeking the return of the unused land. After hearing the case, the court directed that their request be considered. Subsequently, 10.5 cents were returned to them. The Housing Board retained the remaining 6.5 cents, claiming the land was required for road expansion.
When that portion of land also remained unused for years, the petitioners again approached the court seeking its return.
Upon review of the case, the high court summoned the petitioners for a personal hearing and, in 2023, directed the CMDA to issue an appropriate legal order within two months. However, this directive was not implemented within the stipulated time.
As a result, a contempt of court petition was filed against Anshul Mishra, who was serving as the Member Secretary of the CMDA at the time of the court’s order.
During the hearing of the contempt case before Justice Velmurugan, counsel for Mishra argued that the petitioners had been called for a hearing in February 2025 and that their petition was rejected on 28 February, thereby fulfilling the court’s directive.
However, the judge rejected this explanation. He ruled that the delay in compliance amounted to contempt of court and sentenced Anshul Mishra to one month of simple imprisonment.
In addition to the jail sentence, the judge ordered that compensation of ₹25,000 be paid to the affected petitioners. The amount is to be deducted directly from Mishra’s salary. If the compensation is not paid within three weeks, the officer will face an additional 10 days of imprisonment.
While the sentence has been stayed temporarily to allow time for an appeal, the judge instructed the High Court Registry to proceed with enforcing the punishment if no appeal is filed within the given timeframe.
In his strongly worded order, Justice Velmurugan observed that due to the negligence of government officials, members of the public are often forced to approach the courts in pursuit of justice.
He noted that the actions of the then CMDA official not only constituted wrongdoing but also amounted to a challenge to the rule of law.
The judge concluded by emphasising that the public’s trust in the judiciary rests on the belief that court orders will be enforced and upheld. He stressed that government officials are accountable not only to their administrative superiors but also to the law and the Constitution.
(Edited by Sumavarsha)
