Orissa High Court issues arrest warrant against education secretary over unpaid employee increment
Orissa High Court latest news: Justice Dixit Krishna Shripad termed the official's conduct as “aggravated contempt” and directed the 2007-batch IAS officer to be produced before the court on January 22.
4 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Jan 21, 2026 06:54 PM IST
Orissa High Court News: If the compliance is reported, there shall be no coercive action in terms of this order against the contemnor, said the Orissa High Court. (Image generated using AI)
Orissa High Court latest news: The Orissa High Court recently issued an arrest warrant against State Higher Education Secretary Arvind Agarwal for failing to comply with an order concerning the grant of an increment to a government employee.
Justice Dixit Krishna Shripad, on January 16 termed the conduct as a case of “aggravated contempt” and directed that Agarwal, a 2007-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, be produced before the court on January 22, 2026.
The Orissa High Court said that till date, there is no compliance in terms of undertaking, therefore, it is a case of aggravated contempt. (Image enhanced using AI)
Findings
Till date, there is no compliance in terms of undertaking.
Thus, there is non-compliance of the order and there is breach of undertaking.
The contempt proceedings originated from a writ petition filed by Tapan Kumar Pattanaik, a government employee who had approached the high court seeking the grant of an increment that was allegedly denied by the higher education department.
On July 30, 2025, the high court disposed of Pattanaik’s writ petition, directing the authorities to take a decision on his representation within eight weeks and to communicate the outcome to him.
The court had clarified that while the department was free to seek additional information or documents, there should not be a delay.
When the matter was later taken up in contempt proceedings, the government was granted time.
On December 12, 2025, the state’s counsel assured the court that compliance would be reported on the next date of hearing.
Advocate S Jena, appearing for the petitioner contended that despite the clear mandate of the July 2025 judgment.
The counsel said that the subsequent assurance given to the court, the higher education department had taken no steps to decide his representation.
What is contempt of court
The Indian Express had spoken to senior advocate Vikas Pahwa for clarity on the various aspects of criminal contempt, how courts invoke it and the difference between civil and criminal contempt.
According to Pahwa, the law of contempt of court in India is primarily governed by the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971. Under this Act, criminal contempt refers to any publication or act which scandalises or tends to scandalise the authority of a court, prejudices or interferes with judicial proceedings, or obstructs the administration of justice in any manner.
In simple terms, it covers any conduct—written, spoken, or otherwise—that attacks the integrity of the judiciary, lowers public confidence in the justice system, or hinders the due course of justice, he added.
“While criminal contempt is attracted when a person’s conduct or publication has a real tendency to interfere with or undermine the authority of the court or the judicial process and may arise from imputations of bias or corruption against judges, attempts to intimidate litigants or witnesses, or the fabrication of court orders and records, civil contempt aims to ensure compliance with judicial directions, criminal contempt is punitive, intended to uphold the dignity and authority of the courts and the rule of law.”
Vineet Upadhyay is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, where he leads specialized coverage of the Indian judicial system.
Expertise
Specialized Legal Authority: Vineet has spent the better part of his career analyzing the intricacies of the law. His expertise lies in "demystifying" judgments from the Supreme Court of India, various High Courts, and District Courts. His reporting covers a vast spectrum of legal issues, including:
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Over a Decade of Professional Experience: Prior to joining The Indian Express, he served as a Principal Correspondent/Legal Reporter for The Times of India and held significant roles at The New Indian Express. His tenure has seen him report from critical legal hubs, including Delhi and Uttarakhand. ... Read More
The Orissa High Court said that till date, there is no compliance in terms of undertaking, therefore, it is a case of aggravated contempt. (Image enhanced using AI)
