HC issues NBW against NOIDA CEO

PRAYAGRAJ: The Allahabad high court issued NBW (nonbailable warrant) against Ritu Maheshwari, chief executive officer, NOIDA and directed to produce her in police custody before the court in a contempt case, on May 13, the next date of hearing in the case.

Justice Saral Srivastava passed the order in a contempt plea filed by Manorama Kuchhal and another whose land was acquired in 1990 by Noida Authority but they were not given fair compensation as per law till date. The petitioners have been fighting legal battles since 1990 against the Noida Authority.

Earlier, on April 28, the court had directed that the matter be listed on May 4 and Maheshwari was directed to remain present before the court. But despite the summoning order passed by the court, she was not present when the matter was taken up on May 4.

The court observed, “Considering the fact that the order of the Writ Court has not been complied with despite the fact that the possession of the land of the applicants had been taken over by the NOIDA illegally in 1990 without paying even a single penny as compensation, and the applicants despite succeeding in this court in the writ petition and special leave petition against the judgment of writ court having been dismissed, have not been able to reap the benefit of the judgement of the writ court.” “..When the court summoned the CEO, NOIDA in contempt proceeding, she did not appear before the court when the matter was taken up which led her counsel to request the court not to take up the matter till she reached the court as her flight was delayed. This Court finds that such conduct of CEO, NOIDA amounts to deliberate and wilful disrespect to the court, as the officer of the rank of chief executive officer of a corporation expected the Court to take up the matter at her mercy. Therefore, this court finds it to be a fit case where non-bailable warrant be issued against the CEO, NOIDA.”