: The Supreme Court has issued a warrant against five inmates, all sisters, of Sri Aurobindo Ashram for defying its orders to vacate the premises by July 31 and for not appearing before the court on October 13 even after it served contempt notices on them.
The court directed the Superintendent of Police, Puducherry, to execute its order and scheduled further hearing for December 2.
“In spite of the service of notice, respondents have not filed [any] affidavit, nor [have they] appeared in court. In the circumstances, we issue [a] bailable warrant against the alleged contemnor respondents. Copy of this order be forwarded to the Superintendent of Police, Puducherry, for execution…” Justices Sudhansu Jyoti Mukhopadhaya and S.A. Bobde said in their October 13 order.
Contempt petition
The warrant was issued after the Sri Aurobindo Ashram Trust filed a contempt petition after the inmates failed to vacate the premises as directed by the court.
On April 29, the Supreme Court directed Jayashreee Prasad, Arunashri Prasad, Rajyashree Prasad, Nivedita Prasad and Hemalata Prasad to vacate the Ashram by July 31, and maintain discipline and follow the rules and regulations as long as they stayed there.
The Bench had said it would be open to the Trust to initiate contempt proceedings against the inmates if they failed to comply with the order. The sisters had even given an undertaking to the court that they would vacate the Ashram by July 31.
