Sudhir Balaram Patil vs Smt. v. Radha — Bombay HC (2025) — LawSathi Research

Sudhir Balaram Patil vs Smt. v. Radha — Bombay HC (2025) — LawSathi Research

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Contempt against Smt. Sujata Saunik recorded as purged upon her unconditional apology affidavits and compliance with the Court's orders; Contempt Petition Nos.135 of 2022 and 136 of 2022 and pending Interim Applications disposed of; Contempt Petition No.667 of 2025 listed on 10th December, 2025 in the 'Supplementary Board' with the Additional Government Pleader to attempt resolution.

Issue for consideration

Whether the contempt against Smt. Sujata Saunik in Contempt Petition Nos.135 of 2022 and 136 of 2022 stands purged in view of her personal appearance, unconditional apology affidavit and compliance with this Court's orders dated 25th July, 2025 and 15th October, 2025. +1 more

Court's answer

Both Contempt Petition Nos.135 of 2022 and 136 of 2022 are disposed of by recording that the contempt is purged in light of the apology affidavits tendered and the order having been complied with.

Ratio / Principle

Pending Interim Applications, if any, stand disposed of.

Key takeaways

In Contempt Petition No.667 of 2025, the Additional Government Pleader is to collect instructions from the alleged contemnor officers and attempt to resolve the issue; the petition is listed on 10th December, 2025 in the 'Supplementary Board'.ratio¶¶48

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Bombay High Court (Civil Appellate Jurisdiction), Coram: Ravindra V. Ghuge and Ashwin D. Bhobe, JJ., 26.11.2025 — Smt. Sujata Saunik, former Chief Secretary of the State of Maharashtra, appeared in person in Interim Applications (ST) Nos.35030 and 35031 of 2025 in Contempt Petition Nos.135 and 136 of 2022 and tendered unconditional apology affidavits expressing deep regret and remorse for obstructing the bailiff from serving/pasting notice on her, refusing to accept notice, and calling upon an Additional Chief Secretary to tender an affidavit in the Court in her place, contrary to this Court's orders dated 25th July, 2025 and 15th October, 2025. The Petitioners did not seek her conviction or punishment and, as a goodwill gesture, requested that the contempt be recorded as purged. The Court disposed of both Contempt Petitions recording that the contempt stands purged in light of the apology affidavits and compliance, and disposed of the pending Interim Applications. In the interconnected Contempt Petition No.667 of 2025 (in Writ Petition No.1062 of 2020, Sudhir Balaram Patil v. Smt. V. Radha), the Additional Government Pleader undertook to collect instructions from the alleged contemnor officers and attempt resolution; the petition was listed on 10th December, 2025 in the 'Supplementary Board'.

501-CP-667-2025.odt

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION

(501) CONTEMPT PETITION NO.667 OF 2025 IN

WRIT PETITION NO.1062 OF 2020

Sudhir Balaram Patil … Petitioner

Digitally signed by SHARADA SHARADA RANGNATH RANGNATH WAHULE WAHULE Date: 2025.11.28 20:01:54 +0530

Versus Smt. V. Radha … Respondent

AND (155) INTERIM APPLICATION (ST) NO.35030 OF 2025 IN

CONTEMPT PETITION NO.135 OF 2022

Smt. Sujata Saunik (Ex Chief Secretary Government Of Maharashtra) … Applicant Versus Ram S/O Arjunrao Shete … Respondent

AND (156) INTERIM APPLICATION (ST) NO.35031 OF 2025 IN

CONTEMPT PETITION NO.136 OF 2022

Sujata Saunik, Additional Chief Secretary … Applicant Versus Anil s/o Vasantrao Palande … Respondent

Mr. Ashwin Kapadnis a/w Mr. Shivkumar Mathpali, Advocate for the Petitioner in CP/667/2025. Mr. Sandeep B. Sontakke, Advocate for the Petitioner in CP/135/2022 & CP/136/2022.

Mr. Milind Sathe, Senior Advocate a/w Ms. Manisha Jagtap, Advocate for the Applicant in IA. Adv. P. P. Kakade, Addl.G.P. a/w Adv. Tanu N. Bhatia, AGP for State

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501-CP-667-2025.odt

in IA/35030/2025.

Mr. P. P. Kakade Addl. G.P. a/w Mrs. Nisha Mehra, AGP for State in IA/35031/2025.

Ms. Sujata Saunik, Additional Chief Secretary present in Court.

CORAM : RAVINDRA V. GHUGE AND ASHWIN D. BHOBE, JJ.

DATE : 26^th NOVEMBER, 2025

P.C. :

Contempt Petition No.667 of 2025 was mentioned

today, in view of the other two matters being on the daily cause list. Since these were interlinked, this Petition was taken on the production board.

All the three matters are called out when the first matter on the production board was called out.

The learned Senior Advocate, Shri. Sathe draws our attention to two Interim Applications bearing Stamp Nos.35030 of 2025 and 35031 of 2025, filed in the two respective Contempt Petition Nos.135 of 2022 and 136 of 2022. He submits that the Applicant (Smt.Sujata Saunik, former Chief Secretary of the State of Maharashtra) is present in the Court hall. An unconditional apology is tendered expressing deep regret and remorse as regards

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her conduct of obstructing the bailiff from serving notice on her and those that are set out in the orders of this Court dated 25^th July, 2025 and 15^th October, 2025.

He further submits that though the Applicant never intended to show any disrespect to the Court, she was under the belief that she is no longer required to participate in the present proceedings since she had demitted the office of the Chief Secretary of the State of Maharashtra. For the incidents of refusing to accept notice and obstructing the Bailiff from pasting the notice on her residence, as well as, the act of calling upon an Additional Chief Secretary to tender an Affidavit in the Court, in her place, which she should have done personally, an unconditional apology is tendered.

The learned Advocate for the Petitioners submits that the Petitioners are not interested in seeking her conviction or punishment. The Petitioners, as a good will gesture, request the Court to record that the contempt is purged since she is present in the Court and has tendered her apology affidavit. The Petitions

may be disposed off.

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In view of the above, both these Contempt Petitions are

disposed off by recording that the contempt is purged in the light of the apology Affidavits tendered and the order having been complied.

Pending Interim Applications, if any, stands disposed

off .

Contempt Petition No.667 of 2025

In so far as Contempt Petition No.667 of 2025 is

concerned, the learned Additional Government Pleader graciously submits that he would collect instructions from the concerned alleged contemnors who are officers of the Government and make an attempt to resolve the issue.

List the Contempt Petition No.667 of 2025 on 10^th

December, 2025 in the “Supplementary Board”.

(ASHWIN D. BHOBE, J.) (RAVINDRA V. GHUGE, J.)

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