MP HC Issues Arrest Warrants Against Two Officials For Ignoring Contempt Petition Despite Full Awareness

The Madhya Pradesh High Court's Jabalpur bench has issued arrest warrants against two government officers in a long-pending contempt petition, expressing sharp displeasure at what it called "absolute inertia" on the part of the state machinery in responding to the court's proceedings.

Justice Vivek Jain was hearing a contempt petition filed by Smt Sheela Sen when the court noted that despite being fully aware of the case, the respondents had made no effort to engage a counsel or file a compliance report before the court.

According to the order, notices in the matter had been served on the respondents as far back as September 2025, in terms of an earlier order passed by the Registrar. The Collector of District Sagar had even written to the High Court Registry on December 3, 2025, informing it that the Tehsildar of Sagar City had been appointed as a "Contact Officer" to handle the contempt petition.

The court found this conduct particularly troubling. It observed that the respondents were "fully aware of pendency of this contempt petition, and they have even written a letter to the Registry of this Court but have not cared to enter appearance before this Court by engaging any counsel nor have filed any compliance report."

Coming down heavily on the administration, the bench remarked that the respondents' conduct "depicts a very sorry state of affairs in the administration of the State Government, whereby they have adopted an absolute inertia in the matter of contempt petitions and they simply write letter to the Registry of this Court informing about appointment of a Contact Officer, but thereafter do not engage a counsel nor file any compliance report."

Left with no other option, the court directed that arrest warrants be issued against both respondents. "Therefore, this court has no option but to issue arrest warrants against the respondents," the order recorded.

The court has assigned the responsibility of executing these warrants to senior police officials. The Commissioner of Police, Bhopal, has been tasked with executing the warrant against respondent No. 1, while the Superintendent of Police, Sagar, will execute the warrant against respondent No. 2. Both authorities have been directed to ensure the presence of the respondents before the court.

"These authorities will ensure presence of these respondents before this Court on 21.09.2026," the order stated, fixing the next hearing date.

Advocate Kavita Gupta, along with Advocate Shri Vidya Prasad, appeared for the petitioner, Smt Sheela Sen, in the matter throughout its pendency. No counsel, however, appeared on behalf of either of the respondents, a fact the court took specific and pointed note of while passing its order.

Case Title: Smt Sheela Sen v. Shri Vivek Prowal and Others

Date of Order: September 10, 2026

Bench: Justice Vivek Jain