High Court Delivers Key Verdict in Contempt of Court Case

The Telangana High Court has sentenced ADR Estates Private Limited Managing Director C.H. Damodar Rao and three registration officials to six months in prison, along with a fine of ₹2,000 each, for violating court orders in a land registration dispute. The officials include Medchal-Malkajgiri Sub-Registrar P. Srinu and Joint Sub-Registrars V. Ashok and P. Madhubabu. The ruling came in response to a contempt petition filed by Chalasani Kalyani Leela, a resident of Gudivada in Andhra Pradesh. The dispute concerns 17.10 acres of land in Survey No. 140 at Bachupally. A division bench comprising Justice K. Lakshman and Justice N. Tukaramji heard the petition, which alleged that the respondents had violated interim orders issued by the High Court in February 2023.

During the hearing, the bench rejected the registrars' contention that they were unaware of the interim orders. It observed that despite the court's directions being in force, the officials had accepted documents submitted by ADR Estates and continued with the registrations. The court held that this amounted to wilful disobedience of its orders. It also rejected the argument that the registration officials lacked the authority to examine the legality of the documents. Accordingly, the court imposed six-month jail terms and a fine of ₹2,000 on the company's managing director and the three registration officials. However, it suspended the execution of the sentence for four weeks to allow them to file an appeal. The contempt proceedings against the Inspector General of the Stamps Department and the District Registrar were dismissed.