HC raps Lakhisarai DM for ‘pleading ignorance’

Patna: The Patna high court on Thursday rapped Lakhisarai district magistrate Shobhendra Kumar Chaudhary for not even informing the state counsel to submit a counter affidavit in a case alleging misappropriation of funds for distribution amid flood affected victims of Raj Jaipur panchayat in the district in 2016.
Chaudhary was summoned and physically present in the court of Chief Justice M R Shah and Justice Ravi Ranjan during the hearing on a PIL filed by Navin Kumar with a prayer to the court to take necessary action in connection with the irregularities in food relief, specifically in Raj Jaipur panchayat.
When Manish Kumar, who represented the state government, said he could not file a counter affidavit because the DM had not informed him on the issue, the Chief Justice made a verbal remark, “If DM office works like this then where is the rule of law. This attitude won’t work. People go at DM office with faith. We are not here for continuously adjourning the matter on different dates.”
Petitioner’s counsel Yogesh Chandra Verma had earlier submitted that Rs6,000 was to be given to each flood affected family. But the officials disbursed Rs6,000 to all the members of several families in the panchayat. As a result, many actual needy and affected persons did not receive the required government help.
The DM’s counsel said Chaudhary was unaware of the matter as he had taken charge only on May 2 and his subordinates did not inform him about the case. To this, the Chief Justice said it was not a valid reason for not having any information about the court proceedings. He asked the DM if he had taken any action against the officials who did not inform him about the matter.
Reply why payment not made to cane farmers: While hearing another PIL filed by Manaur Alam, the division bench ordered the executive president of New Swadeshi Sugar Mills and chairman-cum-managing director of Dudh Sagar Mills to reply by September 10 why timely payments to sugar cane farmers in West Champaran district were not made and what amount was yet to paid to them. Petitioner’s counsel Amit Pandey said funds worth several crores were still lying with the mills to pay the farmers for financial year 2014-2015.
He also said there is provision of paying 11% interest on the amount if payment is delayed for more than 14 days.