Court Orders Confiscation Of Government Assets In Teacher's 30-Year Legal Battle Over Unpaid Benefits

A teacher from Kumher, dismissed over a fake degree allegation, won a long legal battle. The court ordered confiscation of government assets for non-compliance.

Bharatpur:A teacher from the Kumher area, who was dismissed three decades ago by the BDO over allegations of a fake degree, has won a prolonged legal battle. The court has now ordered the confiscation of several government assets for non-compliance with its previous rulings.

The dispute dates back to 1992, when Mahesh Chand Sharma, a teacher from Kumher, was dismissed by the BDO for allegedly possessing a fake B Ed degree. In 1994, the court ruled in his favour, reinstating him. However, his fight for rightful compensation continued for years. In 2018, the Bharatpur ADJ court ordered the district administration to pay him Rs 1.76 crore in unpaid salaries and benefits. The District Collector, District Council CEO, and BDO Kumher were tasked with implementing this order.

Despite numerous challenges in the High Court and Supreme Court, which all ruled against the district administration, the authorities failed to comply with the orders. In 2024, the Supreme Court directed that Mahesh be paid Rs 86 lakh within three months. When the district administration continued to defy the Supreme Court’s ruling, the court, led by ACJM First Judge Anshuman Singh,

Based on the Supreme Court's directive the court official and advocate, along with the teacher, visited the locations and affixed the attachment orders to the relevant buildings and vehicles on Friday for the confiscation of key government assets-- the Zila Parishad office building, the District Collector's car and the BDO Kumher's office and car.

The case highlights the ongoing struggle for justice by Mahesh Chand Sharma, who is now entitled to the benefits after a lengthy and hard-fought legal battle.

Chronology of legal battle

• In 1990, Mahesh Chand Sharma, a resident of Kumher, joined his duty as a teacher in Kishanpura.
• In 1992, BDO Kumher dismissed him by calling his B.Ed degree fake.
• In 1994, teacher Mahesh Chand Sharma won the case and challenged the dismissal and the court ruled in his favour.
• In 2018, Bharatpur ADJ I ordered that Mahesh be given all the outstanding salaries and benefits of Rs 1.76 crore. This order was given to the Collector, District Council CEO and BDO Kumher.
• The district administration challenged these orders in the High Court and the Supreme Court but lost in both the courts.