Panchkula: Brigadier gets High Court Notice in Contempt Case

Recent development in the case;

• On Monday, the Punjab and Haryana High Court issued a notice to Brigadier Neeraj Kumar Soni in a contempt case initiated against him by the court, and ordered him appear before the court on September 14th.
• Justice Harsimran Singh Sethi ordered a summon to be served upon the contemnor through the office of district and sessions judge, Panchkula.
• “Notice of this contempt petition be issued to Brigadier Neeraj Kumar Soni…for 14.9.2020 to show cause, as to why, he be not proceeded against under the provisions of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971 for intentionally and willfully disobeying the order passed by this court dated 27.11.2019,” the order reads.

What was the case all about?

• Soni was station commander, station headquarters, ECHS, at Chandimandir, Panchkula, when he is alleged to have issued a termination notice to a contractual employee — in violation of a court order directing status quo in the matter with regard to the services of the employee.
• The court in an order passed on March 19 had ordered the HC registry to initiate suo motu contempt proceedings against Soni after it was informed that the employee has been issued a notice on March 2, informing him that his contractual services would be terminated with effect from March 31.
• While staying the termination notice, the court had noted that the stay order of November 27 last year did not reserve any discretion or liberty in the authorities to vary or modify the position unilaterally, and termed the termination notice an “utter and blatant violation of the said status quo order”.

The wilful disobedience of a court order amounts to Contempt. What do you think will be the outcome? Let us know in the comments below.