Court imposes cost of Rs 10 k on social welfare officer

Aurangabad, Sept 7:

Aurangabad bench of Bombay High Court comprising Justice Ravindra V Ghuge and Justice S G Mehre imposed a cost of Rs 10,000 recently on the then social welfare officer of Osmanabad Zilla Parishad Nagnath Revan Appa Choughule for ignoring court directives frequently.

High Court issued directives for depositing the cost amount of Rs 10,000 from his salary and mentioning it on Choughule’s service record.

According to details, the then social welfare officer cancelled individual approval of special teacher Ganapat Baburao Patil, caretaker Dayanand Dnynoba Gundile and cook Meena Shetiba More, who were working in a residential deaf and dumb school since 2014. Their salary was also withheld since 2018.

The school staff members filed a petition in the court to challenge the officer's orders. The court notice was served on Choughule time and again, yet, he failed to remain present before the court. After the warrant, he remained present in the court before but did not tender an apology.

The court took notice of the matter. As per the interim court orders, the school employees were given administrative approval in 2015 and their name was included in Shalarth system in 2018.

The school headmaster did not submit pay bills since 2014 with the social welfare office at the instruction of the chairman of the education society which runs the school.

Social officer Choughule cancelled the appointment of the staff without verifying the truth and not giving the opportunity to the employees to present their sides. The salary of the employees was withheld despite court judgement.

The court imposed a cost of Rs 10,000 on Choughule, who is now deputy commissioner of the Social Welfare Department at Latur. Adv V D Gunale appeared for the petitioners.

The cost would be deposited in the court before September 15.

The court also issued directives to release the pending salary of the petitioners within four weeks. Advocates Sachin Munde, Vikas Kodle and Prashant Gole assisted adv Gunale.