A sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) in Madhya Pradesh’s Panna district has sent a delivery executive to jail after he did not find the items he had ordered through an online platform. The district administration is considering issuing a show-cause notice to him. 

A video of the purported incident that took place on July 21 and a conversation has surfaced on the internet where the executive, Vijay Kushwaha, can be heard telling Ramnivas Choudhary, SDM, Shahnagar, that he had delivered a sealed packet and that he could file for a refund under the platform’s the return policy. 

The incident took place at Mr. Choudhary’s office. He had ordered two sets of two mobile covers but received only one in each box.  

“You will go to jail within two seconds. You have taken the money for two [mobile covers], but there is only one inside the box. Are you returning the money or not? I am not filing for a return,” Mr. Choudhary tells the executive. 

Mr. Kushwaha then says, “I have given a packed box and there is a return policy in this and you can return it. I cannot do anything about it. 

“Why did you abuse me? You are using me in the wrong way,” Mr. Kushwaha says, after which the SDM’s staff tells him to get out of the room as Mr. Choudhary directs them to call the police. 

After this, the delivery executive narrates the incident in the video. 

Panna Collector Usha Parmar told The Hindu that while the delivery executive was released on bail on July 22, the district administration is going to issue a show-cause notice to the SDM. 

When contacted, Mr. Choudhary alleged that Mr. Kushwaha was “talking rudely” and also “banged his hands on the table”.

“He gave the parcel to my staff and left. When we called him within minutes, he said he had travelled far and refused to come back initially. So, I scolded him. When he came back, he entered my chamber with mobile video recording on. I asked him for a refund but he refused and said we could call the police,” the SDM said.

“He is a resident of Pawai area in Panna district but lied that he is from Uttar Pradesh,” he said. 

Panna Superintendent of Police (SP) Nivedita Naidu said that “prima facie the incident seemed to be a case of abuse of power”.

She said that while the police did not arrest the delivery executive, the local Tehsildar prepared a jail warrant against him under Section 170 of the BNSS, based on statements from the SDM and his staff, after which he was sent to jail. 

“The SDM and his staff did not tell the police that the matter was related to online delivery. In their statements, they just alleged that the man was disturbing peace inside the SDM office. They did not tell us the whole matter,” Ms. Naidu said.