Karnataka High Court Takes Contempt Action Against Top Officials

The Karnataka High Court has issued contempt notices to key government officials for allegedly ignoring a previous court order. The controversy involves the appointment of Narayanaswamy as a Senior Law Officer, despite being linked to a recruitment scam, sparking legal action against top administrators.

The Karnataka High Court has launched contempt proceedings against two prominent officials: the Additional Chief Secretary of the Home Department, Umashankar, and Anjali Devi from the Director of Prosecution and Government Litigation Department. They are accused of willfully disobeying a prior court directive.

The case emerged from a petition by Advocate Sudha Katwa, who alleges the officials defied a December 2021 court order by appointing Narayanaswamy as a Senior Law Officer in Bengaluru. This was despite specific prohibitions on assigning roles to individuals under disciplinary review.

The situation roots back to the 2012-13 recruitment scandal for Assistant Public Prosecutors and Government Pleaders. Narayanaswamy and others are accused of manipulating exam scores and falsifying signatures and documents. Despite the scandal, Narayanaswamy obtained a senior appointment, leading to heightened scrutiny and legal action.

(With inputs from agencies.)