Patna High Court

Ramjee Singh and CompanyversusThe State of Bihar, through Principal Secretary, Water Resource Department

Decided: 16 January 2026
Disposal: WITHDRAWN
Bench: RAJIV ROY ALOK KUMAR SINHA

Holding

The petition is disposed of as withdrawn.

Summary

Ramjee Singh and Company filed an application under the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971 seeking to hold the State of Bihar officials in contempt for allegedly willfully disobeying a prior order dated 15 September 2025, which had directed the appellate authority to decide the company's representation within two weeks. The appellate authority later issued an order in which the company sought withdrawal of its own petition. The High Court, after hearing the parties, noted the withdrawal request and disposed of the contempt application as withdrawn.

Issues considered

What constitutes willful disobedience warranting contempt proceedings under the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971?
Whether the petition for contempt can be dismissed on the ground of withdrawal by the petitioner.

Legislation cited

Contempt of Courts Act, 1971

Subjects

contempt of court
willful disobedience
withdrawal of petition
civil writ jurisdiction
water resource department

Judgment

          IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA
                   Miscellaneous Jurisdiction Case No.3531 of 2025
                                           In
                     Civil Writ Jurisdiction Case No.14191 of 2025
     ======================================================
     Ramjee Singh and Company a registered partnership, having its registered
     office at Village Rampur, P.O and P.S.-Barahra, Ara, District-Bhojpur, Bihar-
     802311 through its authorized partner namely Ashok Kumar Singh (Male),
     aged about 50 years, son of Late Janardan Prasad Singh, resident of Village-
     Rampur, P.O and P.S.-Barahra, District-Bhojpur, Bihar-802311

                                                                ... ... Petitioner/s
                                        Versus
1.   The State of Bihar, through Principal Secretary, Water Resource Department
     Government of Bihar, Patna, namely Shri Santosh Kumar Mall.
2.   The Principal Secretary, Water Resource Department, Government of Bihar,
     Patna, namely Shri Santosh Kumar Mall.
3.   The Additional Principal Secretary, Water Resource Department,
     Government of Bihar, Patna, namely Shri Kumar Devendra Projjwal.
4.   The Engineer-in-Chief (Head Office), Water Resource Department,
     Government of Bihar, Patna namely Shri Brajesh Mohan.
5.   The Chief Engineer, Irrigation Creation, Water Resource Department, Siwan
     namely Shri Jai Prakash Paswan.
6.   The Superintending Engineer, Flying Squad Circle-01, Water Resource
     Department, Government of Bihar, Patna namely Shri Subhash Chandra
     Bhatt.
7.   The Flying Squad, Circle-01, Water Resource Department, Government of
     Bihar through the Assistant Engineer, Flying Squad, Circle-01, Water
     Resource Department, Government of Bihar, Patna namely Indrajeet Kumar.
8.   The Assistant Engineer, Flying Squad Division-04, Water Resource
     Department, Government of Bihar, Patna namely Indrajeet Kumar.
9.   The Executive Engineer, Flying Squad Circle-01, Water Resource
     Department, Government of Bihar, Patna namely Shri Abhishek Kumar.
10. The Executive Engineer, Water Resource Department, Saran Canal Division,
    Mairwa (Siwan), namely Shri Suresh Kumar.

                                            ... ... Opposite Party/s
     ======================================================
     Appearance :
     For the Petitioner/s     :    Mr. Riya Giri, Adv.
     For the Opposite Party/s :    Mr. Advocate General
     ======================================================
     CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE RAJIV ROY
             and
             HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE ALOK KUMAR SINHA
                           ORAL ORDER
           Patna High Court MJC No.3531 of 2025(3) dt.16-01-2026
                                                       2/2




                  (Per: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE RAJIV ROY)

3    16-01-2026                    Heard the parties.

                                  2. The present application has been preferred:

                                                          for initiation of the proceedings
                                             under the provisions of the Contempt of Court's
                                             Act, 1971 against the Opposite parties for their
                                             willful and deliberate disobedience shown in
                                             compliance of the order dated 15.09.2025
                                             passed in C.W.J.C. No. 14191 of 2025 (Ramjee
                                             Singh and Company Vs. State of Bihar & Ors.)
                                             passed by Hon'ble Chief Justice P.B. Bajanthri
                                             and Hon'ble Mr. Justice Alok Kumar Sinha,
                                             whereby and whereunder the Hon'ble Court
                                             directed the Appellate Authority to decide the
                                             petitioner's    representation/application   dated
                                             04.08.2025 strictly in accordance with law
                                             within a period of two weeks from the date of
                                             receipt of this order.
                                  3. The appellate authority has passed the order, in that

                     background, prayer for withdrawal of the petition has been made.

                                  4. According, the petition is disposed of as withdrawn.



                                                   (Rajiv Roy, J)


                                              ( Alok Kumar Sinha, J)
Vijay Singh/-

U

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