Supreme Court Stays Warrant Issued By Allahabad HC Against Noida CEO Ritu Maheshwari IAS

The Supreme Court on Monday stayed the non-bailable warrant issued by the Allahabad High Court against the Chief Executive Officer of New Okhla Industrial Development Authority(NOIDA) Ritu Maheshwari IAS after she failed to appear in a contempt case.Yesterday, a bench led by the Chief Justice of India NV Ramana had refused to grant urgent relief to Maheshwari saying that IAS officers should "face the music" if they do not obey court orders."You are an IAS officer, you know the rules.Everyday we see from Allahabad HC, there's breach of orders. This is routine, everyday one or the officer has to come & seek permission. What is this? You don't respect orders of the court.If you don't obey high court orders, you'll have to face the music", the CJI had said yesterday.Today, Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi mentioned the matter again before the CJI. He submitted that the lady had reached the High Court but got late. "This is a gross case where a lady appeared in Allahabad HC, her lawyer was present sought a pass over & HC issued order asking her to appear and in custody!", Rohatgi submitted."List tomorrow, stay the order", the CJI said.The High Court had ordered the police to arrest her and bring her in court on May 13.On April 2, 2022, IAS Officer Ritu Maheshwari was asked to remain present before the Court on May 5, 2022, however, when the Court took up the matter on May 5, it was informed to the Court that she was set to catch her flight to Prayagraj at 10:30 a.m.In view of this, a Bench of Justice Saral Srivastava ,deprecating her conduct, remarked thus:"She was supposed to be here at 10:00 a.m., therefore, the Court cannot countenance the conduct of CEO, NOIDA in taking flight after the functioning of the Court starts and expected the Court to wait for her and take up the matter after she reaches the Court. This conduct of CEO is reprehensible and amounts to contempt of Courts, inasmuch as she has been summoned by the Court in a contempt proceeding for non-compliance of an order passed by Writ Court… The order of Writ Court has not been complied with and in such view of the fact, when the Court has passed an order for appearance of CEO NOIDA, she was expected to be present in Court when the functioning of the Court starts at 10:00 a.m. rather she chose to take flight at 10:30 a.m. from Delhi deliberately with an expectation that the Court will take up the matter as per her convenience."Counsels for the Petitioner: Sr. Adv. Mukul Rohatgi, Sr. Adv. Balbir Singh (ASG), Sr. Adv. Ravindra Kumar, Adv. Sameer Jain, AOR Soayib Qureshi, Adv. Anu Sura, Adv. Jayashree Parihar, Adv. Love Kumar Gupta, Adv. Deepesh Raj and Adv. Vivek JoshiCounsels for The Respondent: Sr. Adv. Vikas Singh, Adv. Tishampati Sen and Adv. Ridhi SanchetiClick Here To Read/Download Order

Supreme Court Stays Warrant Issued By Allahabad HC Against Noida CEO Ritu Maheshwari IAS

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