Belagavi DC’s Car Seized: A Decades-Long Dispute Culminates in Dramatic Enforcement
The official vehicle of the Belagavi District Commissioner (DC) faced a dramatic seizure on Friday, July 18, 2025. This significant event directly stemmed from a court order issued by the First Additional Senior Civil Court in Belagavi. Indeed, it clearly highlighted a protracted legal battle between the state’s Small Irrigation Department and a local contractor.
Read more : https://www.prajavani.net/district/belagavi/belagavi-dc-car-seized-court-order-3414022
Unresolved Dues for a Barrage Project
The core reason for the seizure lay with the department’s consistent failure to disburse ₹1.31 crore to contractor Narayan Kamath. This substantial amount included both the principal payment and all accrued interest. Notably, Kamath had originally undertaken the construction of a crucial barrage on the Dudhganga River. This particular project dates all the way back to the financial year 1992-93. Furthermore, the original contract explicitly stipulated that the department would provide the necessary funds and essential construction materials, such as cement. However, despite these agreements, the promised funds were never released, even after a crucial three-year period following the contract’s inception. This immediate breach set the stage for the lengthy legal conflict that followed.
A Protracted Legal Battle Ensues
Consequently, frustrated by the ongoing non-payment, Narayan Kamath initiated legal proceedings against the department in 1995. Initially, the court ordered a payment of ₹35 lakh. However, the government chose to appeal this decision, clearly indicating their disagreement with the ruling. Following this appeal, the High Court intervened and mandated a complete re-trial of the case. Years later, in June 2025, the lower court finally delivered its revised ruling. It specifically demanded that the department pay 50% of the total outstanding amount, comprehensively including all accumulated interest, to the contractor without further delay.
Court Warrant Leads to Seizure
Significantly, the Small Irrigation Department once again failed to meet this latest court-imposed payment deadline. This non-compliance directly prompted the court to issue a warrant for enforcement. Subsequently, acting decisively on behalf of the applicant, advocate O.B. Joshi executed this warrant. This action directly led to the seizure of the District Commissioner’s official car. This dramatic incident serves as a stark and public reminder of the severe legal consequences that government bodies can face when they neglect their long-standing financial obligations. Particularly, it underscores the repercussions for debts stemming from projects initiated many decades ago. Ultimately, the contractor’s decades-long fight for his rightful compensation culminated in this unavoidable and highly visible enforcement of a judicial order.
Read also : Belagavi to Get 300 New Buses, Including 100 Electric: Transport Minister
