Agartala, Sept 27: Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb on Sunday asked the civil service officers to refrain from fearing “Contempt of Court” while delivering their duties.

Assuring that he would deal with instances where contempt of Court may happen, Deb said, the Court may give the order, but the police that would comply to those orders are “under” him.

“I’ve been told by many officers that they cannot perform a particular task because doing so will cause contempt of court. Why fear that? The Court will give its judgement, but the police will implement that. The Police is under my control. Police has several methods and I am witness to that end,” said Deb, who also holds the Home portfolio, while addressing the 26th biennial conference of TCS Officers at Rabindra Bhavan on Saturday.

Biplab Deb went on to say that officers fear the Court like it’s a tiger. “But I am the Tiger here. I am at the helm of this government elected by the people. People say ‘by the people government, not by the Court’. The Court is for people, people aren’t for the Court,” Deb said in a mix of Hindi and Agartala-accented Bengali.

Deb’s comment seen as faux pass

His speech, that was streamed live on several social media platforms, however, has been perceived as one among the long string of faux pas the CM is known for.

Deb had earlier confused between Civil engineering and civil services and had said, only civil engineers should apply for civil services.

Last year in a programme, he said Southern America’s longest river Amazon to be in Africa where, the longest river to flow is Nile.

Deb, known for his controversial comments, had earlier said that “internet was invented during the times of Mahabharata in India” and that Punjabi and Jatt communities are “less brainy”. He later apologised.

Contempt of Court

A Contempt of Court can be of two types — civil and criminal. While Civil contempt refers to wilful disobedience to any judgment of the Court, criminal contempt can be invoked if an act tends to scandalise or lower the authority of the Court which generally happens when actions are being taken on a matter that is already sub-judiced in a Court and still awaiting verdict.

As per Contempt of Court Act, 1972, a contempt may be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine which may extend to two thousand rupees, or with both, provided that the accused may be discharged or the punishment awarded may be remitted on apology being made to the satisfaction of the court.