In a deeply troubling example of bureaucratic apathy and contempt for judicial authority, the case of Jehangir Ahmad Khan vs. R.K. Goyal & Another continues to underscore how state officials can turn a citizen’s plea for justice into a prolonged and painful ordeal.
Jehangir Ahmad Khan, the petitioner, suffered a life-altering injury in a crossfire between militants and security forces, resulting in the amputation of his right arm. Permanently disabled, he approached the High Court in 2015 seeking compensation for his suffering.
After nearly eight years of legal proceedings, the High Court ruled in his favor on June 9, 2023, awarding ₹10 lakh in compensation. However, instead of complying, government officials—namely, the Principal Secretary to Government, Home Department and the Deputy Commissioner, Baramulla—ignored the judgment.
This compelled Khan to file a contempt petition (CCP(S) No. 316/2023) on April 8, 2023, accusing the officials of willful non-compliance.
In response, the respondents filed a Letters Patent Appeal (LPA No. 238/2023) on November 17, 2023—101 days late. The court criticized the appeal as a strategic afterthought but condoned the delay on September 2, 2024, directing a partial payment of ₹5 lakh.
Shockingly, the payment was not made from government funds but via a cheque issued by the Red Cross Society, prompting scathing criticism from the court. Eventually, the LPA was dismissed on February 5, 2025, and the petitioner was allowed to withdraw the partial amount.
Yet the remaining ₹5 lakh remained unpaid. The government claimed it had approached the Supreme Court via a Special Leave Petition (SLP), but admitted to having no updates from its legal counsel.
On August 13, 2025, Justice Rahul Bharti issued a strongly worded order, condemning the conduct of the officials as a “compounding of contempt” and highlighting their mockery of judicial authority. In response, the Court imposed a cost of ₹10,000, to be deducted equally from the salaries of both contemnors. The Drawing and Disbursing Officers (DDOs) were directed to deduct and deposit the amount with the Registrar Judicial, Srinagar by September 1, 2025. Failure to comply would result in mandatory personal appearances in court.
Justice Bharti remarked that the petitioner’s long quest for justice had been obstructed by systemic inertia and bureaucratic indifference, stating pointedly that if left to the officials, payment would be delayed “until the cows come home.”
This case is no longer only about monetary compensation—it has become a litmus test for government accountability, judicial integrity, and respect for the rule of law. The ongoing contempt proceedings expose a disturbing pattern of deliberate delay and legal evasion by senior functionaries.
As the matter returns to court on September 1, 2025, the spotlight remains on whether the government will finally comply—or whether the Court will be forced to take harsher measures.
For Jehangir Ahmad Khan, justice has already been a long and painful journey. The only question that remains is: how much longer must he wait?