No Alibaba, we have only 40 chor: HC

The high court came down heavily on Bengaluru Urban deputy commissioner for skipping a case. Deputy commissioner Vijay Shankar was supposed to be present during a hearing related to immovable property.

A single judge bench of Justice S N Satyanarayana took objection to the commissioner’s absence and ordered to issue a non-bailable arrest warrant against the officer.

Vijay Shankar, rushed to the court in the afternoon. Government advocate Venkatesh H Dodderi requested the bench to recall the warrant. The judge initially refused to entertain the request observing that the affidavit submitted by the deputy commissioner had details that amount to contempt of court.

“Officials in the revenue department have lost humanity. No work happens there without bribery,” the judge said. Before recalling the warrant, the judge lamented that revenue officials have made the lives of the common public hell. “Today we may not have an Alibaba among us. But those 40 thieves are around as revenue officials,” he observed.

Recalling the order, the judge added: “I do not go home happy after pronouncing these judgments. But the officials have turned out to be money-making machines. I rue the present condition of our society. However, I am discharging my duties.” The bench adjourned the case.