Keonjhar district Collector Ashish Thakare on Thursday finally appeared before the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) in New Delhi. He appeared in commission member Ananta Nayak’s court.
Earlier on April 12, the NCST had issued an arrest warrant against Thakare for failing to appear before the commission despite reminders in connection with a case relating to nonpayment of compensation and employment benefit to a tribal person in a land acquisition case.
The commission had then ordered Odisha Director General of Police (DGP) Sunil Kumar Bansal to arrest Thakare and produce him in New Delhi in person on April 19.
Following this, the Collector moved the Orissa High Court challenging the NCST’s order. The court issued a stay on the NCST order on April 18.
Notably, Thakare was summoned by the NCST in a matter of nonpayment of compensation and employment benefits to one Dara Singh Khutia of Lahanda village of Keonjhar in a land acquisition case.
Thakre had ignored the commission’s summons issued at least eight times during the last six months.
