Odisha Higher Education Secy Faces Arrest Warrant Over Contempt of Court

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The Orissa High Court has issued an arrest warrant against Arvind Agarwal, the state's higher education secretary, for failing to comply with a court order regarding a government employee's salary increment. The court's order, passed on January 16 and uploaded on Tuesday, was issued due to what the judges termed 'aggravated contempt.' The warrant requires the authorities to produce Agarwal, a 2007 batch IAS officer, on January 22. However, the court has given Agarwal a chance to comply with the original order by January 22, after which no coercive action will be taken. The contempt petition was filed by Tapan Kumar Pattanaik, who had sought an increment that the higher education department had denied. The court's July 30, 2025, directive had given the authorities eight weeks to decide on Pattanaik's representation, but no action was taken despite repeated assurances of compliance. Agarwal is a 2007 batch IAS officer, and the court's decision highlights the need for timely action in government matters.