Allahabad High Court Summons Varanasi Police Commissioner Over Failure to Comply With Court Order
By Rajesh Pandey
Prayagraj: Taking a stern view of the alleged non-compliance of its earlier directives, the Allahabad High Court has ordered the Police Commissioner of Varanasi to appear before the court on June 11 and provide a detailed explanation regarding the failure to conclude a departmental inquiry against a police department employee within the prescribed timeframe.
The order was passed by Justice Prakash Padia while hearing a contempt petition filed by Param Hans Gupta, an employee of the Varanasi Police Department who had been placed under suspension.
According to the petition, the High Court had earlier directed the authorities on September 17, 2025, to complete the departmental proceedings against Gupta within a specified period.
The court had also made it clear that if the inquiry was not concluded within the stipulated timeframe, the suspended employee should be reinstated. However, the petitioner alleged that neither of these directions was implemented.
As a result of the continued suspension and the pending inquiry, Gupta approached the High Court by filing a contempt petition, claiming that the authorities had failed to comply with the court’s previous order.
During the hearing, counsel representing the petitioner argued that all requirements outlined in the September 17 judgment had been duly fulfilled from their side.
Despite this, the authorities had neither completed the disciplinary proceedings within the mandated period nor revoked the suspension order issued against Gupta on November 10, 2024.
The petitioner’s lawyer further informed the court that similar directions had been issued by the High Court in numerous cases over the years.
However, according to the submission, such orders were frequently ignored by the authorities not only in Varanasi but also in several other districts across Uttar Pradesh.
Expressing concern over these allegations, Justice Padia took serious note of the matter.
In his order dated June 9, the judge directed the Registrar (Compliance) of the High Court to immediately communicate a copy of the order to Mohit Agarwal, the Police Commissioner of Varanasi, through the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM), Varanasi.
The court’s decision underscores its commitment to ensuring that judicial directives are implemented promptly and reflects its growing concern over instances where government authorities allegedly fail to comply with court orders.
The matter is expected to come up for further consideration when the Police Commissioner appears before the court with his explanation.
