Criminal Contempt Case: Jammu and Kashmir HC Grants Ganderbal DC Two Days to Consider Apology

The High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh on Monday granted Ganderbal Deputy Commissioner Shyambir Singh two days to decide whether he is willing to submit an affidavit of apology to a subordinate court in a criminal contempt case.

A bench comprising Justice Atul Sreedharan and Justice Sanjeev Kumar, while allowing Shyambir Singh the time to consider his decision, scheduled the case for further hearing on August 14, 2024.

“The contemnor orally submitted in this court that his actions were not intended to undermine the dignity of the learned court. He requested some time to consider whether he would file an affidavit of apology and personally appear before the court below,” the bench stated.

The Jammu and Kashmir High Court, on August 5, ordered Shyambir Singh to personally respond to criminal contempt charges leveled against him.

Singh, a 2018-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer and the Deputy Commissioner of Ganderbal since 2022, faces these proceedings following accusations of retaliating against Ganderbal Sub-Judge Fayaz Ahmad Qureshi. Singh allegedly abused his official position to intimidate and harass the judge.

The controversy began after Qureshi ordered the attachment of Singh’s salary for failing to comply with an October 2022 judgment.

The sub-judge claims that the Deputy Commissioner misused his position to harass him, including unauthorized visits by government officials to his property. This conduct was perceived as an attempt to undermine judicial authority and retaliate against the court’s decision.

When initiating the criminal contempt proceedings last month, Qureshi also recommended that the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary take administrative action against Singh under the Government Conduct Rules, 1971, describing Singh as a “constant potential threat” to the judiciary.

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