HC Slaps Rs 50K Penalty On Odisha Activist For ‘Frivolous Petition’ Against Police Inaction

Cuttack: The Orissa High Court called out a social activist for his ‘overenthusiasm’ and imposed a penalty of Rs 50,000 for what it called a “frivolous petition” against police inaction.

Justice S K Panigrahi observed that the FIR filed by the petitioner, Biswajit Pattanaik, at Brahmagiri police station in Puri district in connection with alleged irregularities involving a reader in the zoology department of AD Mahavidyalaya was needless when the government had already ordered a probe into the matter.

“The petitioner, who is masquerading himself as an RTI activist/social activist, has no business to file the FIR especially when the government is looking into the issue raised by him. He has still shown overenthusiasm by filing a complaint before the police which was not accepted by the police.”

The criminal miscellaneous petition was filed “with a vested interest”, Justice Panigrahi added.

The regional director of education has already conducted an inquiry into the matter and submitted the report following a probe ordered by Higher Education department.

The petitioner has been directed to pay Rs 50,000 to the Orissa High Court Bar Association Welfare Fund.