India, Sept. 17 -- The Allahabad High Court has said that UP Goondas Act is being used as a tool of oppression by Uttar Pradesh bureaucrats and the state, despite the court's consistent rulings on the issue and warned the bureaucracy of punitive damages if it does not stop issuing illegal and arbitrary orders.

The court awarded Rs 50,000 as damages to petitioner Abhishek Tyagi, against whom proceedings under the Goonda Act were initiated.

It said the state government was at liberty to recover the damages from the salaries of the bureaucrats concerned. Justice Sandeep Jain held that the bureaucracy must stop issuing illegal and arbitrary orders, or else it will have to face punitive damages. The court, in its order dated September 10, al...