Hyderabad (01.04.2022): Andhra High Court sentenced eight IAS officers — Gopal Krishna Dwivedi, M Girija Shankar, M M Naik, B Rajasekhar, J Syamala Rao, V Chinna Veerabhadrudu, Y Srilakshmi and G Srkr. Vijay Kumar — to simple imprisonment for two weeks and to pay a fine of ₹1,000 each in a contempt case, but modified his order after officials tendered an unconditional apology for failing to discharge their duties.

Justice Devanand directed that they should instead visit the social welfare and ST and BC welfare hostels in the districts any one Sunday every month for 12 months, spend some time with the students/wards to motivate them, and arrange a sumptuous lunch or dinner by spending their personal money. The court said the contemnors should send photos of their visits to the hostels every month to the High Court Registrar (Judicial) to enable him to keep them in the case records.

Justice Devanand assigned Dwivedi to Krishna district, Girija Shankar to Prakasam, Rajasekhar to Srikakulam, Chinna Veera Bhadrudu to Vizianagaram, Syamala Rao to Anantapur, Srilakshmi to West Godavari, Vijay Kumar to Kurnool and Naik to Nellore for visiting the hostels.