Himachal HC orders six-week community service as punishment in contempt of court case

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh), November 24 : The High Court of Himachal Pradesh pronounced a six-week community service as punishment to the culprits in a contempt of court case.
A double bench of Himachal Pradesh High Court including the Chief Justice, MS Ramachandra Rao and Justice Jyotsna Rewal Dua pronounced the punishment of community service in a matter of contempt of court.
Three persons belonging to the Kullu district were found guilty of tampering with the court record and punishment has been pronounced in the High Court today.
The advocate general of the Himachal Pradesh High Court on Friday said that this order has set an example to the public and also showcases the intention of the social receptivity and awareness of the court.
Advocate General of HP High Court, Anup Rattan, said, "Today the High Court of Himachal Pradesh has passed an order to increase the social service feeling among the people in the society. In a Suo Moto Contempt Case where the respondents had tempered the orders of the Court, The High Court had registered a case of contempt against the respondents."
"The Court has executed a punishment for those who have been found guilty of doing community service. They will have to go to the Panchayat Pradhan Haroli and the Panchayat Pradhan will depute them for two weeks of Social Service, they can execute this work of Community Service in a two-month period," Advocate General Anup Rattan said.
"After this, the guilty will have to report to the Legal Service Authority in Una district and after this, they will have to do community service for four weeks in Sports Centre Haroli and legal care under the monitoring of the Legal Service Authority. In this way, the court by changing the form of Punishment has set an example to the society," the Advocate General added.
The court has ordered the culprits first to serve in Village Panchayat for two weeks and later to serve at the Sports Centre of the legal Service authority for four weeks.
"We impose a fine of Rs 2,000 upon each of respondents no.2-4. In default, respondent no.2-4 shall be liable to undergo simple imprisonment for a period of one week. We impose exemplary costs of Rs 10,000 upon each of respondents no.2-4 to be deposited by them within a period of two weeks with District Legal Services Authority District Una," the court order stated.
The matter was heard in the court in 2019 and all facts were examined in which the Court found the respondents guilty.
"The matter was of a litigation of two poor families of Una and during the filing, the appeal in higher court they had tempered the copy of the orders of the lower court and date was tempered. It was observed and facts were found and the Court found them guilty for tempering the case, they were common people. Keeping in mind the social perspective the court has ordered this punishment of community service, it is important," the Advocate General added.
As per the court order, the respondents are found guilty of criminal contempt under Section 2(c)(ii) & 2(c)(iii) of the Contempt of Courts Act 1971 for willfully tampering with the judicial record by making Hic interpolations in the copying agency details contained in the certified copy of the judgment & decree dated December 23, 2015, passed by learned Additional District Judge-1 Una in C.A. No. 1938/2014.
This contempt petition is disposed of in terms of the above directions. Pending miscellaneous applications, if any, shall also stand disposed of, the order added.