Patna HC issues arrest warrant on Jharkhand official

Patna, Feb 28: Patna High Court has issued arrest warrant against Director, Panchayati Raj, Jharkhand, in connection with a contempt case relating to non payment of death-cum-retirement benefit.

A single bench of Justice Radha Mohan Prasad directed the Jharkhand Government to execute the arrest warrant and produce him before the court on March two as he failed to comply with the earlier directive of the court in connection with the non-payment of death-cum-retirement benefit to a petitioner.

During the hearing of the case, the counsel of the petitioner submitted before the court that Director, Panchayati Raj, did not take steps for payment of the death-cum-retirement benefit to the son of a deceased employee of the Panchayati Raj department of the Jharkhand Government.

Earlier, Patna High Court had directed the Jharkhand Government in 2002 to make the said payment to the son of the deceased employee. But even after a lapse of three years, the State Government could not comply with the court order.

Later the petitioner had filed a contempt case against the erring official in 2005.

UNI