The Chhattisgarh High Court has taken a strong view in the case related to the removal of former NIT Raipur Registrar Dr Arif Khan, issuing contempt notices to the institute’s Director Dr Narayanprabhu Venkat Raman and the then Registrar Dr Narendra Digambar Lodhe for allegedly defying a court order.
The case dates back to 2021, when Dr Khan was removed from the post of Registrar without citing clear or valid reasons. Challenging the decision, Dr Khan approached the High Court through his counsel Hamida Siddiqui. After hearing the matter, the court ruled in his favour and passed directions granting him relief.
Following the court’s order, Dr Khan reportedly resigned from his position at the University of Kashmir and attempted to rejoin NIT Raipur. However, it has been alleged that the authorities at the institute failed to allow him to resume duties, despite the High Court’s clear directions.
Taking serious note of the matter, the High Court observed that non-compliance with judicial orders directly undermines the authority of the justice system. While hearing the contempt petition, the court termed the conduct as a prima facie case of disobedience and issued notices to both senior officials, seeking their explanation.
The matter is now scheduled for further hearing, with close attention on how the institute’s leadership responds to the court’s observations.
