A v Nagarajan Vs Mr. C.R. Aravind — Contempt of Court | Karnataka HC (2025)

A v Nagarajan Vs Mr. C.R. Aravind — Contempt of Court | Karnataka HC (2025)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Respondent directed to settle the claim of the petitioner-complainant as directed in Writ Petition No.3257/2021 within eight weeks from the date of receipt of a certified copy of this order, failing which exposure to aggravated form of contempt; contempt petition disposed of accordingly.

Issue for consideration

Whether the accused (Manager, LIC of India) disobeyed/breached the order dated 06.08.2024 passed in Writ Petition No.3257/2021 and is liable to be punished for contempt under the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971. +1 more

Court's answer

LIC had not implemented the orders in both W.P. No.11564/2021 and W.P. No.3257/2021 because it had preferred Writ Appeal No.1455/2024 against the order passed in W.P. No.3257/2021.

Ratio / Principle

Writ Appeal No.1455/2024, preferred against the order in W.P. No.3257/2021, stands dismissed by this Court.

Key takeaways

In light of the dismissal of the writ appeal, the respondent is directed to settle the claim of the petitioner-complainant as directed in W.P. No.3257/2021 within eight weeks from receipt of a certified copy of this order, failing which the respondent would be exposed to aggravated form of contempt.ratio¶32

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Civil Contempt Petition (CCC No. 85 of 2025) under Sections 11 and 12 of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971 read with Article 215 of the Constitution of India, filed by A.V. Nagarajan against C.R. Aravind, Manager (CRM), Life Insurance Corporation of India, Divisional Office-I, Bengaluru, for non-implementation of the learned Single Judge's order dated 06.08.2024 in W.P. No.3257/2021 (with W.P. No.11564/2021), which had directed LIC to expedite release of amounts due under insurance ombudsman awards dated 28.01.2021 and 06.11.2020 within an outer limit of eight weeks. The Court (Division Bench of Chief Justice N.V. Anjaria and Justice M.I. Arun; judgment per Justice M.I. Arun, 11.03.2025) recorded that LIC had withheld implementation because Writ Appeal No.1455/2024 against the W.P. No.3257/2021 order was pending; that appeal was dismissed the same day. The respondent was directed to settle the complainant's claim as directed in W.P. No.3257/2021 within eight weeks of receipt of a certified copy of this order, failing which he would be exposed to aggravated form of contempt. Contempt petition disposed of accordingly. No monetary quantum is stated in the judgment.

1 -

NC: 2025:KHC:10413-DB CCC No. 85 of 2025

IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 11^TH DAY OF MARCH, 2025

PRESENT

THE HON'BLE MR N. V. ANJARIA, CHIEF JUSTICE

AND

THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE M.I.ARUN CIVIL CONTEMPT PETITION NO. 85 OF 2025

BETWEEN:

A.V. NAGARAJAN S/O. LATE MR. ANANTHA SASTRY AGED ABOUT 74 YEARS RESIDING AT NO.42/28 39^TH "A" CROSS, 11^TH MAIN 4^TH 'T' BLOCK, JAYANAGAR BENGALURU - 560 041.

…COMPLAINANT

(BY SRI ADITYA NARAYAN, ADVOCATE)

Digitally signed by H K HEMA Location: High Court of Karnataka

AND:

MR. C.R. ARAVIND THE MANAGER (CRM) LIFE INSURANCE CORPORATION OF INDIA DIVISIONAL OFFICE - I J.C. ROAD, BENGALURU - 560 002.

…ACCUSED

(BY SRI HALLUR SHIVAYOGI BASAVARAJ, ADVOCATE)

THIS CCC IS FILED UNDER SECTIONS 11 AND 12 OF THE CONTEMPT OF COURTS ACT, 1971, READ WITH ARTICLE 215 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA, PRAYING TO ISSUE

2 - NC: 2025:KHC:10413-DB CCC No. 85 of 2025

NOTICE OF CONTEMPT TO THE ACCUSED AND APPROPRIATELY PUNISH AND PROSECUTE THE ACCUSED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THE CONTEMPT OF COURTS ACT, 1971, FOR DISOBEYING AND BREACHING THE ORDER DATED 06.08.2024 PASSED IN WRIT PETITION NO.3257/2021 OF THIS HON'BLE COURT ETC.

THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, JUDGMENT WAS DELIVERED THEREIN AS UNDER:

CORAM: HON'BLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE MR. JUSTICE N. V. ANJARIA and

HON'BLE MR JUSTICE M.I.ARUN

ORAL JUDGMENT

(PER: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.I.ARUN)

The aforementioned contempt petition is preferred by the complainant to enforce the order dated 06.08.2024 passed by the learned Single Judge insofar as it relates to Writ Petition No.3257/2021. The relevant portion of the order passed by the learned Single Judge reads as under:

"Petitioner-insurance company shall expedite the process of releasing the amounts to the respondents in these two writ petitions in terms of the awards, dated 28.01.2021 and 06.11.2020 passed by the office of the insurance ombudsman within an outer limit of eight weeks from the date of receipt of certified copy of this order."

Life Insurance Corporation of India, who had suffered the

order passed in Writ Petition No.11564/2021 c/w Writ Petition

3 -

NC: 2025:KHC:10413-DB CCC No. 85 of 2025

No.3257/2021, had preferred a writ appeal (Writ Appeal No.1455/2024) against the order passed in Writ Petition No.3257/2021 and for that reason, it had not implemented the order passed in both the aforementioned writ petitions. The dispute pertains to the amount payable to the complainant herein upon maturity of the life insurance policy availed by him from the Life Insurance Corporation of India. The said writ appeal No.1455/2024 has been dismissed by the court today. In the light of the same, the respondent is hereby directed to settle the claim of

the petitioner-complainant as directed in Writ Petition No.3257/2021, within a period of eight weeks from the date of receipt of a certified copy of this order, failing which the respondent would be exposed to aggravated form of contempt.

The contempt petition stands disposed of accordingly.

SD/(N. V. ANJARIA) CHIEF JUSTICE

SD/(M.I.ARUN) JUDGE

hkh. List No.: 1 Sl No.: 41