On September 26, 2025, the Supreme Court of India, in Contempt Petition (C) No. 218/2025 within SLP (C) No. 21177/2024, ruled against two contemnors for willful non-compliance with its orders dated September 9 and September 20, 2025. The bench, comprising Justices J.K. Maheshwari and Vijay Bishnoi, addressed the petition filed by M/s Laxmi Construction against Harsh Goyal and another respondent, related to a failure to vacate a premises as directed.

The contempt petition was based on the respondents' refusal to obey Supreme Court orders to vacate a property. The court had issued earlier orders on September 9 and 20, 2025, which the contemnors did not obey. A later order on September 22, 2025, instructed the Rent Controlling Authority to settle an ownership dispute within 90 days, which Contemnor No. 2 used as a pretext to stop the vacation process.

   

Upon listening to submissions by senior advocate Rauf Rahim on behalf of the petitioners and respondents' counsel, the court held that both contemnors disobeyed its directions intentionally and furnished false information. Contemnor No. 1, who was 82 years old, pleaded leniency, whereas Contemnor No. 2 contended the ownership dispute justified their disobedience, which the court dismissed as contrary to the record.

The court followed a lenient attitude towards Contemnor No. 1, fining him Rs. 5 lakh to be paid to the Supreme Court Legal Services Committee within two months. Failure to pay would attract one month of civil imprisonment. Contemnor No. 2 was imposed a harsher punishment: three months of civil imprisonment and a Rs. 1 lakh fine, also payable in two months, with a further month of imprisonment in case of default. Contemnor No. 2 was ordered into immediate custody, with directions for transfer to Tihar Jail, Delhi.

For enforcement of compliance, the court directed the District Judge, Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, to deploy a bailiff to take physical possession of the premises within two weeks, aided by police. Any tenant goods found would be listed and placed in secure custody for recovery. The appellate authority was to report compliance to the Registrar of the Supreme Court.

The contempt petition was disposed off on these terms, with a specific order to comply. The judgment consolidates the judiciary's will to enforce its orders and punish willful non-compliance in real estate disputes.