NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday extended the interim stay till further orders on the Allahabad High Court order issuing non-bailable warrants (NBW) against senior IAS officer and Chief Executive Officer of Noida in a contempt case related to a land acquisition matter.
A bench comprising Chief Justice N V Ramana and Justices J K Maheshwari and Hima Kohli also issued notices to 12 people including the district magistrate and additional district magistrate of Noida on the plea of the CEO and sought their responses.
"Issue notice. The NBW stayed by an earlier order may be continued until further orders. List in July," said the bench.
The apex court was miffed over the issuance of NBW by the high court on the grounds that the IAS officer got late in appearing before that court and besides, her lawyer had also sought a pass-over on her behalf.
"This is not the way," the CJI said. The bench also said that it has become a routine where the land is taken away by authorities without due payment of compensation.
On May 11, another bench of Justices S A Nazeer and Krishna Murari had extended the relief and adjourned the matter for May 13 as Justice Murari recused from hearing the case.
"Since the matter is urgent, list the matter again on Friday after taking appropriate directions from the Chief Justice. Meanwhile, interim order to continue," Justice Nazeer had said.
Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi had appeared for Uttar Pradesh official Ritu Maheshwari against the order of the high court.
"This is a gross case where a lady appeared in the Allahabad High Court, her lawyer was present and sought a pass over. The high court issued the order asking her to appear and in custody," Rohatgi, appearing for the IAS officer, had said.
On Monday, the top court had observed that it has become a routine affair that Uttar Pradesh officials are approaching it against the Allahabad High Court orders and they do not respect orders of the court .
The senior IAS officer, who is posted as the Chief Executive Officer of New Okhla Industrial Development Authority (NOIDA), has moved the top court against the issuance of the NBW by the Allahabad High Court in a contempt case related to a land acquisition matter. The high court order had come as the officer could not appear before it in time.