HC issues arrest warrant for Malda DPSC chairperson

Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court (HC) has issued an arrest warrant for Basanti Barman, chairperson of the Malda District Primary School Council (DPSC), for failing to comply with court orders to appear either in person or virtually.

Single Bench of Justice Krishna Rao directed the inspector-in-charge of Malda Police Station to produce Barman before the court on September 26 at 3:30 pm. It has been reported that the DPSC chairperson had come to Kolkata for legal consultation.

The case originates from a 2015 court order mandating the Malda DPSC to reinstate a primary teacher and release her arrears. The petitioner, Mofeja Khatun, was appointed as a primary teacher by the concerned DPSC. However, after working for nearly four years, her appointment was canceled on August 14, 2014. While the teacher was reinstated in partial compliance with the HC’s order, the arrears were allegedly not paid. The teacher subsequently appealed to the court for the release of her arrears.

Following the teacher’s appeal, the court had initiated contempt proceedings against the DPSC chairperson, Barman. Despite repeated directives from the court for her to appear either in person or virtually, she failed to do so. The court found that Barman wilfully and deliberately violated its orders. “This Court finds no other alternative but to issue a warrant of arrest against Basanti Barman,” stated the HC in the order passed

on September 19.