A rare case of a City Court Judge apologising to an elderly litigant for Shirastedar’s irresponsibility

Mysuru– In a rare humane gesture,  a city Court Judge apologised to a litigant  while slamming the Shirastedar for undue delay in issuing a cheque related to a property dispute. City’s Fourth Additional Senior Civil Judge Jagadish is the one who has set this rare example.

Details about the case

M.C. Sheela, a resident of Chennai, owned a property in Mysuru city. As there was   a family dispute over the    property, the row went to  Court in 2004. The then Judge Prasad, who heard the case, had ordered auction of the property and the money received be shared among the family members.

Accordingly, Sheela got   Rs. 12.27 lakh as her share while her mother got Rs. 5.50 lakh. The Court had directed the two to appear on Monday to get their cheques.

As Sheela’s 80-year-old ailing mother was not in a position to travel, 60-year-old Sheela requested her neighbours in Chennai to look after her mother and travelled to Mysuru.

As directed, Sheela appeared before the Fourth Additional Senior Civil Judge Jagadish on Monday and the Judge, after scrutinising the medical records of Sheela’s ailing mother, directed  the Shirastedar to handover the ailing lady’s cheque to her daughter Sheela.

But as the then Accounts Shirastedar, who had served when the Court gave its ruling in the case had been transferred, the incumbent Shirastedar Cheluvaiah sought time as he had to verify the documents in detail.

Sheela, by showing a video recording of the condition of her ailing mother, insisted on issuance of the cheque as she had to leave for Chennai the same evening. But Shirastedar Cheluvaiah, despite the Court ruling, unduly delayed issuance of the cheque.

Later, Sheela’s advocates  and others tried to convince Cheluvaiah to issue the cheque but he remained unmoved, saying that he needs to verify the records.

But as the Courts closed at 5.30 pm, Judge Jagadish left the Court.

As Sheela remained in the Court not knowing what to do next, some advocates who came to know of her plight, took her to Principal District and Sessions Judge P.G.M. Patil and explained him about Sheela’s plight.

Later, Judge Patil contacted Judge Jagadish over phone, following which Judge Jagdish returned to the Court at 6.15 pm. After taking Accounts Shirastedar Cheluvaiah to task,  the Judge got the cheque issued and also expressed regret to Sheela for the inconvenience caused to her by the Shirastedar, it is learnt.

Meanwhile, Shirastedar Cheluvaiah has since gone on leave, it is learnt.