Contempt of Court - Failure to hand over possession rent matter - Civil prison and fine for the contemnors

Supreme Court Sanctions Punishment for Contempt: Leniency for Elderly, Imprisonment for Co-contemnor. A Supreme Court directive sees one contemnor fined and another sentenced to imprisonment for willful non-compliance of court orders in a contentious property dispute.

In a decisive ruling on September 26, 2025, the Supreme Court of India held M/s Laxmi Construction and associates accountable for contempt of court, stemming from their non-compliance with prior Supreme Court directives. The bench, comprising Justices J.K. Maheshwari and Vijay Bishnoi, found the contemnors guilty of deliberate and willful non-compliance with orders dated September 20, 2024, and September 9, 2025.

The case revolved around a contentious civil rent dispute, where the respondents, Harsh Goyal and others, had contested the possession of a property. The court observed that the contemnors not only failed to comply with its orders but also engaged in misleading statements, complicating the judicial process.

In addressing the age factor, the court displayed leniency towards Contemnor No. 1, who is 82 years old. Instead of civil imprisonment, the court imposed a fine of Rs. 5,00,000, to be deposited with the Supreme Court Legal Services Committee. Failure to comply with the fine payment within two months would result in a month of civil imprisonment.

Conversely, Contemnor No. 2 faced a stricter sentence due to his conduct and misleading behaviour. The court sentenced him to three months of civil imprisonment and a fine of Rs. 1,00,000. In case of default in payment, an additional month of imprisonment was mandated. The contemnor will be taken into custody and transferred to Tihar Jail, Delhi, to serve his sentence.

In addition, the Supreme Court directed the District Judge of Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, to appoint a bailiff with police assistance to reclaim possession of the disputed premises within two weeks. The court ordered the creation of an inventory of any tenant articles found on the premises, ensuring their safekeeping for future claim by tenants. A report of these actions is to be submitted to the Registrar of the Supreme Court.

This judgment highlights the judiciary's stance on upholding its authority and ensuring compliance with its orders, while also balancing humanitarian considerations for the elderly.

Bottom Line:

Contempt of Court - Deliberate and willful non-compliance of Supreme Court's directions by contemnors - Imposition of fine and civil imprisonment as punishment.

M/s Laxmi Construction v. Harsh Goyal, (SC) : Law Finder Doc id # 2784620