Mineral Enterprises Limited Vs Mr Rajendra Kataria — Contempt of Court | Karnataka HC (2025)

Mineral Enterprises Limited Vs Mr Rajendra Kataria — Contempt of Court | Karnataka HC (2025)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

No contempt notice, punishment or prosecution ordered; the present proceedings were closed, with liberty expressly reserved to the complainant to revive the contempt petition after disposal of SLP No.1663/2019.

Issue for consideration

Whether the accused disobeyed and breached the order dated 21.11.2016 passed in W.P.No.43690/2016 of this Court so as to warrant notice of contempt, punishment and prosecution under the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971 (left undecided at this stage). +1 more

Ratio / Principle

Since SLP No.1663/2019, by which the accused/State has challenged the judgment in W.P.No.43690/2016 (GM-MMS), is still pending per the Registry note, the Court closed the present contempt proceedings, reserving liberty to the complainant to revive the matter after disposal of that SLP; contempt liability was not adjudicated at this stage.

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Civil Contempt Petition No. 1829 of 2017, High Court of Karnataka at Bengaluru, oral order dated 20-06-2025 (bench: K.S. Mudagal and P. Sree Sudha, JJ.; order per K.S. Mudagal J.). Mineral Enterprises Limited (represented by its Director, Mr. Basant Poddar), represented by Sri Aditya Narayan, Advocate, filed this CCC under Sections 11 and 12 of the Contempt of Courts Act 1971 r/w Article 215 of the Constitution of India, praying for notice of contempt and punishment/prosecution of (A1) Mr. Rajendra Kataria, Secretary to Govt., Department of Commerce and Industries, (A2) Dr. K.G. Jagadeesha and (A3) Mr. N.S. Prasanna Kumar, Directors, Department of Mines and Geology, for allegedly disobeying and breaching this Court's order dated 21.11.2016 passed in W.P.No.43690/2016 (GM-MMS); A1 & A2 appeared through Smt. Namitha Mahesh B.G, AGA, and A3 was served. On the petition coming on for hearing, the learned Additional Government Advocate filed a memo with copy of the order dated 01.02.2019 in SLP No.1663/2019, wherein the accused/State has challenged the judgment in W.P.No.43690/2016 (GM-MMS), out of which this contempt petition arose; per the Registry note that SLP is still pending. The Court accordingly closed the present proceedings, reserving liberty to the complainant to revive the matter after disposal of SLP No.1663/2019. Whether the accused committed contempt was not decided at this stage.

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NC: 2025:KHC:21495-DB CCC No. 1829 of 2017

HC-KAR

IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 20^TH DAY OF JUNE, 2025

PRESENT

THE HON'BLE MRS. JUSTICE K.S.MUDAGAL AND

THE HON'BLE MRS JUSTICE P SREE SUDHA CIVIL CONTEMPT PETITION NO. 1829 OF 2017

BETWEEN:

MINERAL ENTERPRISES LIMITED, A COMPANY REGISTERED UNDER THE COMPANIES ACT, 3RD FLOOR, WEST WING, KHANIJA BHAVAN, NO.49, RACE COURSE ROAD, BANGALORE - 560 001, REPRESENTED BY ITS DIRECTOR, MR. BASANT PODDAR.

…COMPLAINANT

Digitally signed by K S RENUKAMBA Location: High Court of Karnataka

(BY SRI. ADITYA NARAYAN, ADVOCATE)

AND:

MR. RAJENDRA KATARIA THE SECRETARY TO GOVT. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRIES, VIKAS SOUDHA, BANGALORE - 560 001.

DR. K.G. JAGADEESHA THE DIRECTOR, DEPARTMENT OF MINES AND GEOLOGY, KHANIJA BHAVAN, R.C. ROAD, BANGALORE - 560 001.

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NC: 2025:KHC:21495-DB CCC No. 1829 of 2017

HC-KAR

MR. N.S. PRASANNA KUMAR DIRECTOR OF DEPARTMENT OF MINES AND GEOLOGY, KHANIJA BHAVAN, R.C. ROAD BENGALURU - 560 001.

…ACCUSED

(BY SMT. NAMITHA MAHESH B.G, AGA FOR A1 & A2; A3 - SERVED)

THIS CCC IS FILED UNDER SECTIONS 11 AND 12 OF THE CONTEMPT OF COURTS ACT 1971 R/W ARTICLE 215 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA , PRAYING TO ISSUE NOTICE OF CONTEMPT TO THE ACCUSED AND APPROPRIATELY PUNISH AND PROSECUTE THE ACCUSED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF CONTEMPT OF COURTS ACT, 1971 FOR DISOBEYING AND BREACHING THE ORDER DATED 21.11.2016 PASSED IN W.P.NO.43690/2016 OF THIS HON'BLE COURT.

THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR HEARING, THIS DAY,

ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER:

CORAM: HON'BLE MRS. JUSTICE K.S.MUDAGAL and HON'BLE MRS JUSTICE P SREE SUDHA

ORAL ORDER

(PER: HON'BLE MRS. JUSTICE K.S.MUDAGAL)

This contempt petition is filed alleging non-compliance of order of this court dated 21.11.2016 passed in

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NC: 2025:KHC:21495-DB CCC No. 1829 of 2017

HC-KAR

W.P.No.43690/2016 (GM-MMS). Learned Additional Government Advocate files memo with copies of order dated 01.02.2019 in SLP No.1663/2019 wherein the accused/State has challenged the judgment in W.P.No.43690/2016 (GM-MMS), out of which this contempt petition has arisen.

As per the note of Registry, the said SLP is still pending. Therefore reserving liberty to the complainant to revive this matter after disposal of SLP No.1663/2019, the present proceedings are closed.

Sd/(K.S.MUDAGAL) JUDGE

Sd/(P SREE SUDHA) JUDGE

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