HC reserves orders on contempt petition by ING Vysya

Bangalore, Mar 8 (UNI) The Karnataka High Court today reserved judgement on the contempt petition filed against former Bangalore Development Authority Commissioner Jaikar Jerome.

The hearing on the petition concluded before Mr Justice N S Veerabhadraiah and Mr Justice Anand.

In its contempt petition, the ING-Vysya Bank alleged that Mr Jerome, working now as personal secretary to Maharashtra Governor S M Krishna, had illegally and hurriedly demolished a residential premises of the Bank Chairman in the city in disobedience of the stay order given by the Court.

The stay order was issued by the court on a writ petition filed by the Bank challenging the notice of demolition. In the meanwhile, the Bank had also filed a civil suit for the same relief.

In the wake of the civil suit, the court disposed of the writ petition, but continued the stay order for a period of time. By disobeying the stay order, Mr Jerome had committed contempt of court, the bank contended.

However,Mr Jerome, among other pleas, defended his action by saying that the building had been demolished only after the expiry of the stay order.

UNI XR RG TS2011