Consumer Court Orders Arrest Of Senior IAS Officer For Failing To Give Plot Possession

The Gautam Budh Nagar district consumer forum on Friday has ordered the arrest of Uttar Pradesh State Industrial Development Authority (UPSIDA) CEO Mayur Maheshwari for failing to comply with court orders regarding the allotment of an industrial plot in Surajpur, Greater Noida.

The case, which dates back 22 years, involves the authority’s non-compliance with multiple court directives to give possession of the plot to Mahendra Kumar H Advani, the original allottee.

The plot in question, an 800 square meter industrial space (Plot No. 77) in Site C, Greater Noida, was originally allotted to Advani in 1989. UPSIDA canceled the plot in 1998, citing reasons such as non-payment of instalments. Advani challenged the cancellation in 2001, and in 2003, the district consumer forum ruled in his favor, ordering UPSIDA to restore the plot without any charges and imposing a ₹12,000 fine.

UPSIDA appealed this decision, but in 2019, the State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission upheld the district forum’s ruling, ordering the restoration of the plot.

Despite these repeated rulings, UPSIDA failed to comply. The matter was escalated to the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission in 2023, which again directed UPSIDA to restore the plot and pay the fine. However, the authority continued to disregard the orders.

Advani passed away three years ago, and his wife, Pushpa, has since taken over the case. In January 2024, Advani’s lawyer, Advocate Pravesh Nagar, filed an application with the district forum, highlighting UPSIDA’s ongoing non-compliance. On January 22, 2025, the consumer forum issued an order, noting that UPSIDA had not appeared in court to respond to the complaint.

Consequently, the forum issued a bailable warrant for Mayur Maheshwari’s arrest, with the condition that he could secure bail by providing a ₹50,000 bond and a surety of the same amount. Maheshwari must appear before the forum on the next hearing, scheduled for February 28, 2025.

The forum has also directed the Kanpur police commissioner, where UPSIDA’s office is located, to execute the arrest. The order under Section 70/71 of the Criminal Procedure Code and Section 27 of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986, mandates the arrest of Maheshwari unless he posts bail. The consumer forum’s chairperson has emphasized the urgency of this matter and ordered the CEO’s appearance on the specified date.

Maheshwari responded to the order, acknowledging that the case is old and pending before higher courts, but stated that UPSIDA would comply with the court’s directive once the signed order is received.

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