ASSEMBLY POLL '98
COMMENTARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
DEAR REDIFF
THE STATES
YEH HAI INDIA!
ELECTIONS '98
ARCHIVES

Delhi HC pulls up ex-defence secretary Ajith Kumar

Expressing displeasure over the attitude of former defence secretary Ajit Kumar and two other senior Central government officials, the Delhi high court Thursday refused to drop the contempt proceedings against them and directed them to be present before it tomorrow.

A division bench comprising Justices Anil Dev Singh and A K Srivastava declined to entertain the application moved by Ajit Kumar, J K Dadu, joint director (AIR) and Shyam Kapoor, under secretary (AIR) seeking exemption from personal appearance and dismissal of the contempt petition filed by AIR Vice Marshal P K Ghosh.

Taking strong exception to the attempts of the officials to evade appearing in the court, the judges observed, ''They should have been present on the last date of hearing, but they did not. Today, they have moved the application. There seems to be no remorse or sense of regret among the officials of such high rankings like defence secretary.''

Kumar was posted as the industry secretary on December 30 coinciding with the dismissal of naval chief Vishnu Bhagwat.

Air Vice Marshal Ghosh had in his contempt petition charged the three senior officials of presenting a wrong picture before the court regarding the vacancies for promotion as air marshal.

He sought the initiation of contempt proceedings against them for claiming before Justice K Ramamoorthy in an affidavit that Air Vice Marshal K Raghavan was promoted as air marshal on the high court's direction.

UNI

Tell us what you think of this report