The official vehicle of Belagavi Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Roshan was seized on July 18 for non-payment of a contractor’s bill that had been pending for over three decades.
The case dates back to 1992-93, when contractor D. Narayan Kamath was awarded a Minor Irrigation Department project to build a bridge and barrage on the Dudaganga river in Chikkodi taluk. Despite completing the work, his payment was withheld for two years, prompting him to move to court in 1995.
The Belgaum District and Sessions Court subsequently directed authorities to compensate the contractor with ₹34 lakh. The department later challenged the ruling in the High Court, which upheld the decision and ordered half the amount, along with interest, to be paid by June 2024.
Following non-compliance with the court order, the DC’s vehicle was seized. Senior advocate O.B. Joshi represented the contractor in the case.
