Justice Karnan calls judiciary corrupt, brings up old allegations against HC judges

I wrote to the chief justice of Madras high court but no action has been taken against them. I brought specific allegations against 20 judges. But while those 20 are silent, a sevenmember bench issued a warrant against me. I openly admit that Indian judiciary is corrupt.

Calcutta high court judge CS Karnan stepped up his tirade against the Supreme Court and his fellow judges on Saturday by releasing his written allegations against two Madas high court judges.

He alleged that one had tampered records to get into service and amassed wealth through unfair means while the other had raped an intern.

Justice Karnan had made these allegations in 2013 and 2014. "I wrote to the chief justice of Madras high court but no action has been taken against them. I brought specific allegations against 20 judges. But while those 20 are silent, a seven-member bench of the SC issued a warrant against me. Today I openly admit that Indian judiciary is corrupt," Karnan said at a press conference at his residence .

"These seven judges don't know law. The SC did not apply mind. That's why public confidence (in the judiciary) is decreasing day by day," he said.

Asked whether he would appear before the SC on or before the deadline (March 31), Karnan said "Why? For what purpose? This is a wrong order. It is out of law."

On Friday, Karnan had signed an order in front of the media at his residence, directing the Central Bureau of Investigation to "register, investigate and file a report before the appropriate court of law under Article 226 read with Section 482 CrPC to prevent abuse of process of any court .... "

"I am a sitting high court judge. Any place where I sit and pass an order becomes the court," Karnan said. Asked whether he had the power to issue a directive even to the President, he however said: "I have humbly appealed to President. Who can direct the President of India?" Later he changed the word "direct" to "request."

When he was asked whether the director general of Bengal Police, who is supposed to execute the warrant, or the CBI had got in touch with him, Karnan said, "Not so far." One of his associates, a lawyer of the Madras HC, said copies of Karnan's order had been sent to the CBI as well as the judges of the SC.

Asked whether it was appropriate for a sitting judge to talk to the media, Justice Karnan said, “It is a national issue. It should reach the people. Let there be transparency. What’s the secret? Nobody takes a suo motu warrant against a sitting judge.”