Sudhir Balaram Patil v. Smt. V. Radha
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
Versus
Smt. V. Radha ... Respondent Digitally signed by SHARADA RANGNATH WAHULE Date:
2025.11.28 20:01:54 +0530 SHARADA RANGNATH WAHULE 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
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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
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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
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 : 26th NOVEMBER, 2025 P.C. :
1.
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.
2.
All the three matters are called out when the first matter on the production board was called out. 3.
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
her conduct of obstructing the bailiff from serving notice on her and those that are set out in the orders of this Court dated 25th July, 2025 and 15th 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.
4.
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.
5.
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.
6.
Pending Interim Applications, if any, stands disposed off.
Contempt Petition No.667 of 2025 7.
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.
8.
List the Contempt Petition No.667 of 2025 on 10th December, 2025 in the "Supplementary Board".
(ASHWIN D. BHOBE, J.) (RAVINDRA V. GHUGE, J.)