$~25 * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI + CONT.CAS(C) 322/2025 JAN SEVA WELFARE SOCIETY .....Petitioner Through: Mr. Yogesh Goel, Mr. Ankit, Mr. Yesh Pal Saini, Mr. Aryan Singh, Mr. Sagar, Advocates.

versus SH. PARBANSHU AND OTHERS .....Respondents Through: Mr. Amit Tiwari, CGSC with Mr.

Ayush Tanwar, Ms. Ayushi Srivastava, Mr. Arpan Narwal and Mr. Kushagra Malik, Advocates for R-1 and R-2.

Mr. Shiven Varma, Panel Counsel for GNCTD/R-3.

CORAM:

HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE AMIT SHARMA

O R D E R

% 16.12.2025

1. This hearing has been done through hybrid mode.

2. The present petition under Sections 11 and 12 of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971 read with Article 215 of the Constitution of India seeks the following prayers:

“(i) Initiate contempt proceeding against the contemnors/respondents for willfully and deliberately disobeying the order dated 29.05.2023 in W.P. (C) No. 2317/2023 titled as Sanjeev Bagai & Ors Vs. Department of Environment Govt. Of NCT of Delhi & Ors and order dated 13.12.2024 in Cont. Case (C)

No. 1149/2022;

(ii) Order the Respondent No.3 to strengthen surveillance and deploy vigilance team to prevent further cutting/pruning of the healthy trees situated in the public premises situated at Delhi and on the basis of the report of Vigilance Team, the wrong doer may be punished in accordance with the law of the land;

(iii) Pass any other and further order as this Hon 'ble Court may deem fit, just and proper in the facts and circumstances of the case;”

3. Learned counsel for the petitioner drew attention of this Court to para 15 of the judgement dated 29.05.2023 passed in W.P.(C) 2317/2023 titled “Prof Dr Sanjeev Bagai & Ors. v. Department of Environment Govt of NCT of Delhi through its Principal Secretary (Environment and Forest) & Ors”, which reads as under:

“15. In view of the above no pruning of trees will be permitted in Delhi except in accordance with the DPT Act. It will be open to respondents to frame guidelines and/or rules as may be requisite.”

4. It is the case of the petitioner that the aforesaid direction was violated by the respondents in as much as five trees situated inside Police Station, Rani Bagh, Pitampura were illegally cut without the permission of the concerned Authorities.

5. During the course of proceedings, status report dated 24.03.2025 on behalf of Deputy Conservator of Forest/ R-3 has been placed on record, in which it has been recorded as under:

“2. That a complaint of Sh. Ajay Aggarwal (complainant) regarding illegal cutting/pruning of trees inside the compound of was received by official on behalf of North Forest Division (GNCTD) via Whatsapp (Tree Offence Cell) on 30.12.2024.

3. That, an inspection apropos to the above-mentioned complaint of the site of offence situated inside the compound of P.S: Rani Bagh, Outer Ring Road, Deepali Chowk, Delhi - 110034 was carried out by Beat-Officer/official on behalf of North Forest Division (GNCTD) on 30.12.2024. During the course of inspection it was observed that an offence of illegal pruning of 05 (five) trees had been committed at the site of offence i.e. P.S: Rani Bagh, Outer Ring Road, Deepali Chowk, Delhi - 110034.

Copy of Inspection Report dated 31.12.2024 has been annexed as ANNEXURE - 'B'

4. That, consequently a tree offence of illegal pruning of 05 (five) trees inside the compound of P.S: Rani Bagh, Outer Ring Road, Deepali Chowk, Delhi - 110034 was booked by Respondent No. 3 i.e. Dy. Conservator of Forests (North), GNCTD. Thereby, a Notice dated 14.01.2025 under the Delhi Preservation of Trees Act, 1994 scheduling a tree hearing on 29.01.2025 at 12:40 P.M at the office of Respondent No. 3 was forwarded and served to the Station House Officer (S.H.O) P.S: Rani Bagh, Outer Ring Road, Deepali Chowk, Delhi - 110034, other officials on behalf of P.S: Rani Bagh, Outer Ring Road, Deepali Chowk, Delhi - 110034, Sh. Ajay Gupta (complainant) and Sh. Ajay Aggarwal (complainant) with direction to submit any relevant evidence in view of Principles of Natural Justice