VIJAYAWADA: The High Court has come down heavily on a software employee, Mukunda Reddy, for violating an undertaking given to the court, terming his actions as clear contempt.
A division bench comprising Justice Ravinath Tilhari and Justice Kuncham Maheshwara Rao sentenced him to one month imprisonment and slapped a fine of `2,000, along with `10,000 as costs to be paid to the HC Legal Services Committee.
The HC noted that Mukunda Reddy had obtained original documents by assuring that he would neither mortgage them nor create third-party rights.
However, he violated the undertaking by pledging the documents to a bank and selling the property. Rejecting his apology, the HC observed that an apology must reflect remorse and not be a tactic to escape punishment. “Apologies made at the last stage, when punishment is inevitable, cannot be accepted,” the bench stated.
The case pertains to a long-pending property dispute dating back to 2009. The HC emphasized that strict action is necessary to uphold public confidence in the judicial system and ensure compliance with court orders.