CONTEMPT CASE: JUSTICE KARNAN TO APPEAR IN TOP COURT TODAY

NEW DELHI: A seven-judge bench headed by Chief Justice JS Khehar will take up on Monday the contempt case it has initiated against sitting Calcutta high court judge Justice SC Karnan.

As per the court order, Justice Karnan has to be present personally before the bench.

On February 8, the top court had for the first time issued a contempt notice against Justice Karnan for alleged judicial indiscipline. What prompted the court to take such a severe step was a letter Justice Karnan wrote to the Prime Minister, law minister and the CJI accusing several sitting and retired judges of corruption.

The order had also stripped him of his judicial and administrative duties. He was asked to immediately return the judicial files in his possession to the HC registrar general.

But in defiance of the SC’s decision, Justice Karnan lashed out at the top court judges for issuing the notice against him. He accused the CJI J S Khehar-led seven-judge bench of upper caste bias in initiating proceedings as he belonged to the Dalit community.

In a four-page letter which he addressed to SC registrar general, a post that is now re-designated as secretary general, the judge virtually alleged the court order was an offence under the law to punish atrocities against Dalits and tribals and challenged the court to refer his case to Parliament.

“The suo motu order against me, a Dalit judge, is unethical and goes against the SC and ST (Prevention of) Atrocities Act. It is certainly a national issue and a wise decision would be to refer the issue to the House of Parliament,” read his letter.

He wants the case be heard after CJI Khehar retires since the order against him was “harsh.”