R.Radhakrishnan, v. Mr.Praveen Raja,
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
DATED: 19.12.2025 Coram:
THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE P.VELMURUGAN and THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE M.JOTHIRAMAN Cont.P.No.3362 of 2025 and Sub Applications (OS) No.1108 of 2025 R.Radhakrishnan .. Petitioner Vs.
Praveen Raja Inspector of Police J8, Neelangarai Police Station E.C.R.
Chennai - 600 115 .. Respondent Prayer: Contempt Petition filed under Section 11 of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971 read with Article 215 of the Constitution of India, to initiate contempt proceedings against the respondent-Inspector of Police, J8-Neelangarai Police Station, ECR, Chennai - 600 115 and punish for his willful and deliberate disobedience of order dated 13.08.2024, passed by the District Munsif Court, Sholinganallur, in C.M.P.No.361 of 2024.
For Petitioner : Mr.M.L.Ravi For Respondent : Mr.R.Muniyapparaj Additional Public Prosecutor assisted by Mr.M.Sylvester *******
ORDER
(Order of the Court was made by P.VELMURUGAN, J.) This Contempt Petition has been filed to initiate contempt proceedings against the respondent-Inspector of Police, J8-Neelangarai Police Station, ECR, Chennai, and to punish for his willful and deliberate disobedience of the order dated 13.08.2024, passed by the learned District Munsif-cum-Judicial Magistrate, Sholinganallur, in C.M.P.No.361 of 2024.
2. The learned counsel for the petitioner submitted that the respondent willfully violated the order dated 13.08.2024, passed by learned District Munsif-cum-Judicial Magistrate, Sholinganallur, in C.M.P.No.361 of 2024.
3. The learned Additional Public Prosecutor appearing for the respondent submitted that the learned Magistrate had only directed the respondent/Police to conduct investigation as per the guidelines issued by the Hon'ble Supreme Court in the oftquoted judgment in Lalita Kumari Vs. Government of U.P. and others, reported in (2014) 2 SCC 1 and to register a case, if any cognizable offence is made out and file a report within one month. Accordingly, the respondent/Police conducted a preliminary enquiry and finding that prima facie case was not made out and as the dispute was civil in nature, they closed the complaint and also communicated the same to the petitioner, vide order dated 16.07.2025.
4. The direction issued by the learned District Munsif-cum-Judicial Magistrate, Sholinganallur, in C.M.P.No.361 of 2024, dated 13.08.2024, is extracted as follows:
"The petitioner submit that during pendency of the above petition if anything is happened to the petitioner and his family, the newly elected periya Neelangarai local committee panchayath cum temple committee peoples viz 1) Mr.Sampath, S/o.Balamani, 2) Mr.Udaya @ Dasarathan S/o. Pushpalingam,
3) Mr.Pushpalingam their supporters are responsible for the same and it is because of the inaction by the respondent authority, Inspector of Police, J8 Police Station. Directed the respondent/Inspector of Police, J-8 Neelangarai Police Station to investigate as per guidelines of our Honorouble Supreme Court in Lalitha Kumari Case, and if any cognizable offence is made out then register the case and investigate the matter and file a report within one month and report before this court on or before."
5. A reading of the above order shows that no positive direction has been issued by the Magistrate. The Magistrate has only directed the respondent-Police to conduct an enquiry and to register a case, if any cognizable offence is made out. Accordingly, the respondent/Police has conducted an enquiry and finding that there was no cognizable offence made out, has closed the complaint. Though the same has been communicated to
the petitioner by order dated 16.07.2025, which is after the filing of this contempt petition, whether it is a cognizable offence or not, cannot be decided by this Court in the contempt jurisdiction.
5. Therefore, liberty is granted to the petitioner to challenge the order of the respondent dated 16.07.2025, if he is so aggrieved by the same and to work out his remedy in the manner known to law.
6. With the above observations, this Contempt Petition is closed. Consequently, the connected Sub Application is also closed. [PVJ] [MJRJ] 19.12.2025 ksa-2
P.VELMURUGAN, J and M.JOTHIRAMAN, J ksa-2 W.M.P.No.554 of 2025 19.12.2025