BENGALURU: In a civil contempt case initiated for wilfully breaching the interim order of the court by selling a piece of land in question, the Karnataka High Court convicted the accused-contemnor, Prakash, from Nanjangud taluk for contempt of court. He was sentenced to simple imprisonment for three months and a fine of Rs 2,000, or to deposit the entire sale consideration amount within two months. In case of default, he will have to undergo simple imprisonment for another month, the court said.
A division bench of Justice B Veerappa and Justice KS Hemalekha passed the order recently, while allowing the civil contempt petition filed by Somanna and three others.
The contemnor allegedly sold land at Thummaneral village of Chikkaiahna Chatra hobli of Nanjangud taluk in Mysuru district, which amounts to wilful disobedience of the court order. Later, the accused filed an affidavit and sought an unconditional apology, stating that third-party rights were executed due to bonafide reasons.
However, the court said: “We hold the so-called apology is not an act of penitence, contrition or regret, and the acceptance of such an apology in the case on hand would be allowing the contemnors to go away with impunity after committing gross contempt of court... the accused-contemnor is guilty of having committed wilful disobedience of the order dated November 22, 2012...”