In an unusual judicial directive, the Madras High Court has asked five IAS officers, found guilty of contempt of court, to perform community service by visiting old age homes and orphanages and providing food to destitute individuals.
The directive was issued on July 22 by Justice Battu Devanand, who instructed IAS officers- Kumar Jayant, SK Prabakar, V Rajaraman, P Kumaravel Pandian, and D Baskara Pandian to give a written undertaking thereby expressing their willingness to visit any old age home, orphanage and serve food to the inmates.
The contempt petition was jointly filed by three temporary government drivers- C Chinnathambi, M Krishnamurthy, and P Anandhan, accusing the officers of disobeying an order passed by Justice C Saravanan on September 29, 2021, to regularise their services and absorb them into permanent posts.
However, the order was enforced three years later, resulting in a loss of wages during this period. As compensation for the loss of nearly Rs 6 lakhs in pay, Justice Battu Devanand asked the erring officers to pay Rs 1.25 lakh each from their personal funds.
But this was contested by Additional Advocate General (AAG) P Kumaresan, who submitted that it was a difficult task. Subsequently, the judge said that the officers could instead visit any old age home or orphanage, spend time with the inmates, and either buy lunch or dinner for them out of personal funds.
The AAG readily agreed to the proposition and said the contempt proceedings could be closed based on oral submissions by four out of the five IAS officers present in court. The judge, however, insisted that the officers should file a written undertaking.
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