Sat May 10 00:00:00 UTC 2025: ## Andhra Pradesh Deputy Collector Demoted for Contempt of Court
**New Delhi:** The Supreme Court of India has demoted Tata Mohan Rao, a Deputy Collector in Andhra Pradesh, to the post of Tahsildar. The court’s decision stems from a 2013 incident where, while serving as Tahsildar, Mohan Rao defied a High Court order by demolishing huts in Adivithekkellapadu, Guntur district.
The High Court initially sentenced Mohan Rao to two months imprisonment and a fine of ₹2,000 for contempt of court in March 2015. Mohan Rao appealed to the Supreme Court, arguing that his actions were legally justified in protecting government land and were taken amidst the volatile atmosphere of the Andhra Pradesh bifurcation movement. He claimed he only removed huts erected overnight in border areas.
His lawyers pleaded that a jail sentence would lead to the loss of his job and cause significant hardship to his family. Considering this, Justice B.R. Gavai, instead of imprisonment, ordered the demotion. The court also mandated Mohan Rao to pay a fine of ₹1 lakh within four weeks for the construction of houses for the poor and submit a receipt to the court. His seniority will be considered for future promotions.
Justice Gavai expressed his disappointment that Mohan Rao didn’t accept the suggested compromise earlier, stating that a lesser penalty would have been imposed if he had cooperated. The judge emphasized that while the court aimed to be lenient considering the impact on Mohan Rao’s family, it also needed to send a clear message that no one is above the law.
First Piper 