SC refuses urgent hearing on Karnan’s arrest order
NO RELIEF Justice Karnan, whose whereabouts are not known, had sought a review of his conviction and sixmonth jail sentence
The Supreme Court on Monday again refused an urgent hearing on Calcutta high court justice CS Karnan’s plea to recall an arrest order issued against him for contempt of court.
Justice Karnan, whose whereabouts are not known, had on May 12 sought a review of his conviction and six-month jail sentence.
His counsel Mathews Nedumpara had told the court that Karnan was in Chennai but police teams have been unable to trace the judge, who is locked in an unprecedented showdown with the country’s top judges.
“I have sought a recall of the seven-judge bench’s order since no charges were framed against justice Karnan,” Nedumpara had said. He also furnished a signed document authorising him to appear on behalf of the controversial judge.
Karnan was convicted of contempt by the top court on May 9. It came a day after the judge sentenced Chief Justice of India JS Khehar and six other Supreme Court judges to five years in jail under the SC/ST act.
The controversy began in January when Karnan wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to order a corruption probe against judges of the Madras high court and the apex court.
Karnan also accused these judges of caste bias, saying he was being singled out for being a Dalit.
What followed was a string of orders the two sides issued against each other, causing embarrassment for the judiciary which is locked in a tussle with the government over the procedure of appointment of judges.