Hyderabad: In a contempt case filed against a sweeper for non-payment of salary for 26 years, the Telangana High Court has warned the principal secretary (home) to either comply with court orders on the release of salary or appear before the court on November 27.

Justice Jukanti Anil Kumar expressed dissatisfaction with the police department’s stand of not implementing court orders regarding payment of salary to sweepers for six years.

The judge was dealing with the defamation case filed by Shaik Janmiya, who worked as a cleaner at Suryapet district Chilkur police station between 1991 and 2018 and was not paid a salary. When he approached the Supreme Court in 2017, the court ordered the Ministry of Internal Affairs to pay him within four weeks.

He filed a defamation lawsuit because the orders were not followed. Justice Anil Kumar questioned the home ministry on the implementation of court orders. Giving the department a last chance, the court directed the decisions to be implemented by November 27, otherwise the chief secretary (house) had to appear in court.