Bombay High Court
HIGH COURT ON ITS OWN MOTIONversusMR. RAJGOAL DEORA, RETIRED ADDITIONAL CHIEF SECRETARY, REVENUE
- Decided
- Disposal
- Disposed Off
Holding
The Court held that the unqualified apology was sufficient to discharge the contempt, leading to the withdrawal of the notice and disposal of the petition.
Summary
The High Court of Bombay entertained a suo motu contempt petition arising from its own order dated 6 May 2026. Retired Additional Chief Secretary Rajagopal Devara filed an affidavit on 29 July 2026 offering an unqualified apology for the alleged contempt. The Court examined the affidavit, found the apology satisfactory, and consequently accepted it. In light of the acceptance, the Court withdrew the notice issued on 6 May 2026. The contempt petition was therefore disposed of without any further proceedings.
Issues considered
- Whether the unqualified apology tendered by the alleged contemner extinguishes the contempt proceeding.
- Whether the notice dated 6 May 2026 should be withdrawn following acceptance of the apology.
Subjects
- contempt of court
- suo motu jurisdiction
- apology
- withdrawal of notice
- civil appellate jurisdiction
Judgment
DTG 5-ii-Smcpc-7-2026.doc
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY
CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION
SUO MOTU CONTEMPT PETITION NO. 7 OF 2026
IN
WRIT PETITION NO. 173 OF 2022
High Court On Its Own Motion … Petitioner
V/s.
Mr. Rajgoal Deora,
Retired Additional Chief Secretary, Revenue … Respondents
_______________________________________
Mr. Satish S. Borulkar a/w Mr. Shrishailya S. Deshmukh for Petitioner in
WP/173/2022.
Dr. Milind Sathe, Advocate General a/w Mr. Girish Godbole, Senior Advocate
and Smt. P.P. Shinde, A.G.P. for-State
Mr. Vishwajit Sawant, Senior Advocate a/w Mr. Sandeep S. Salunkhe for
Respondent Nos. 4 & 7 in WP/173/2022.
_______________________________________
CORAM : A. S. GADKARI AND
KAMAL KHATA, JJ.
DATE : 27th August 2026
P.C. :
1) The Suo Motu Contempt Petition is initiated in furtherance of
Order dated 6th May 2026. Shri Rajagopal Devara, Retired Additional Chief
Secretary (Revenue), Mantralaya, Mumbai, has filed Affidavit dated 29 th July
2026. We have perused the Affidavit and are satisfied with the contents
thereof. The unqualified apology tendered by the contemner is accepted.
2) In view of the above, the Notice dated 6 th May 2026 is
withdrawn and the Contempt Petition is accordingly disposed off.
( KAMAL KHATA, J. ) ( A.S. GADKARI, J. )
Digitally signed
by
DNYANESHWAR DNYANESHWAR
TULSHIRAM TULSHIRAM
1/1
GHUMNAR GHUMNAR
Date: 2026.08.29
14:31:14 +0530
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