SC orders medical test of Justice Karnan, Kolkata judge hits back

The Supreme Court on Monday ordered medical examination of Calcutta High Court judge Justice C.S. Karnan by May 4 by a board of doctors to be set up by a government hospital in Kolkata.

A defiant Justice Karnan ordered the psychological examination of the Chief Justice of India and other judges who directed a medical test.

Earlier, a seven-judge bench headed by Chief Justice J.S. Khehar also directed the Director-General of Police of West Bengal to form a team of police officers which could assist the medical board in carrying out the examination on Justice Karnan.

The bench, while referring to its earlier order by which it had restrained Justice Karnan from exercising administrative and judicial power, directed all the courts, tribunal and commissions across the country not to consider and act on the orders passed by him after February 8.

The bench also asked the judge to file his response to the contempt notice and made it clear that if no response was filed by May 8, then it would be presumed that “he does not have anything to say”.

The bench, which also comprised Justices Dipak Misra, J Chelameswar, Ranjan Gogoi, M.B. Lokur, P.C. Ghose and Kurian Joseph, has sought the medical report on or before May 8 and posted the contempt petition against Justice Karnan a day after.

Earlier, Justices Karnan had appeared before the apex court and sought restoration of his judicial and administrative powers. As the court refused to modify its earlier order, Justice Karnan had made clear that he will not appear before the court again.

The apex court has taken suo motu (on its own) cognisance of various letters written by Justice Karnan against judges of the Madras High Court and the Supreme Court.

Justice Karnan had on March 31 appeared before the apex court which had granted him four weeks to respond to the contempt notice while rejecting the submission that his administrative and judicial powers be restored.

I direct the DGP, New Delhi, to take the seven accused judges and produce them to a psychiatric medical board attached to AIIMS Hospital to conduct medical tests and submit a copy of the report on or before May 7 — Justice Karnan