The Uttarakhand High Court has issued contempt notices to Dr. Vivek Joshi, Secretary of the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) in the Government of India, following a petition by Sanjiv Chaturvedi, an Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer from the Uttarakhand cadre.
Chaturvedi's petition highlighted non-compliance with court orders.
The case centres on a court ruling from September 3, which directed the Central Government to produce records concerning Chaturvedi's empanelment at the Joint Secretary level.
Despite multiple reminders, the government did not respond, prompting Justice Alok Verma to issue contempt notices on October 23. A hearing has been scheduled for December 19.
Chaturvedi, known for his 'Outstanding' service record and previous recognitions, has long alleged continuous harassment due to his integrity and commitment to honest work. This is not the first time senior officials have faced contempt proceedings linked to his cases.
Other pending cases involve officials from the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, CBI, and previous contempt matters involving Justice L. Narasimha Reddy.
Chaturvedi’s contempt petition, filed on October 21, accuses the DoPT Secretary of willfully defying the court’s orders, despite being notified through letters on September 11 and subsequent reminders. The High Court has instructed that 'steps be taken within a week' and set the next hearing for December 19.
In a prior ruling this September, the High Court's Division Bench, led by Chief Justice Ritu Bahri, had directed the Central Government to provide records regarding Chaturvedi’s empanelment process. Chaturvedi contends that his ongoing legal battle reflects years of systematic persecution for performing his duties lawfully and fearlessly.
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