Patna, June 24: Kaimur district magistrate Arvind Kumar Singh was today sent to police custody for contempt of court in connection with settlement of land of an ex-serviceman.

The high court single bench of Justice Rakesh Kumar issued the directive after successive district magistrates (DMs) did not comply with the court order in 2009 to settle the issue. Singh, the Kaimur DM, was present in the high court and was immediately taken into custody.

The court ordered the chief secretary to send the list of the Kaimur DMs since 2009 so that action could be initiated against them also for failing to comply with the repeated court orders. The case would be heard again after four weeks.

The high court in 2009 had directed the then Kaimur DM to provide land to the ex-serviceman, Suresh Prasad Singh, according to the norms of the state government. But the order was not complied with even after five years.

According to the rule, an ex-serviceman is entitled to get two acres (200 decimals) of land for settlement. Singh had 35 decimals of land and the rest was supposed to be given by the district administration. He has been running from pillar to post to get the land since 2009. Despite repeated reminders, the successive DMs did not bother to take cognisance of the court’s orders and provide Singh his share of land.

The bench of Justice Kumar on Tuesday took exception to the repeated contempt of court by the successive DMs and sent the present incumbent to the police custody till the rising of the court.