Ex-IT Officer Sentenced for Contempt, Gains Temporary Relief

The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court sentenced retired Deputy Commissioner of Income Tax Harish Gidwani to one week's imprisonment and a Rs 25,000 fine for contempt of court. Gidwani failed to comply with a 2015 court order, affecting Prashant Chandra's reputation. A division bench later stayed the sentence.

In a significant ruling, the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court sentenced retired Deputy Commissioner of Income Tax Harish Gidwani to one week's imprisonment along with a fine of Rs 25,000 for contempt of court.

The court mandated Gidwani to surrender to its senior registrar on Friday afternoon. Any non-compliance would result in an additional day of imprisonment. The court also instructed the senior registrar to provide an action report by August 12.

However, the sentence was momentarily stayed by a division bench. The single judge bench of Justice Irshad Ali delivered the initial sentence on a contempt plea filed by senior counsel Prashant Chandra. Chandra pointed out that a March 2015 order to quash an assessment notice for 2012-2013 had not been honored, tarnishing his reputation. Upon evaluating the case, Justice Ali declared the act as 'grossly reprehensible' and a deliberate effort by Gidwani to harass the petitioner.