Cuttack: The Orissa High Court on Wednesday imposed Rs 10,000 fine on Dr Antaryami Mishra, who claimed that his namesake got the Padma Shri for literature and education in 2023.
The single judge bench of Justice S K Panigrahi slapped the penalty on him for ‘wasting the court’s time’ and dismissed the petition. He has been directed to submit the fine at the High Court Bar Association fund.
Sources said that Mishra, who is a physician, failed to produce the letter from the central government, inviting him to receive the award.
On the Padma Shri awardee’s list of 2023 declared on January 25, 2023, the name ‘Shri Antaryami Mishra’ of Odisha appeared in the 56th position, to be honoured for his contribution to literature and education.
Subsequently, one Antaryami Mishra, who is a journalist by profession, received the award from President Droupadi Murmu at the Civil Investiture Ceremony-II, Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi on April 5, 2023. Later, the physician moved the HC claiming that his namesake got the award by impersonating him.
In the writ petition, the doctor claimed that he is an Odia litterateur and has authored 29 books in Odia and other Indian languages, while the journalist has no book to his credit.
Following which, the court ordered for personal appearance of both the Antaryami Mishras on February 24 to substantiate their claims.
