Justice Karnan cries foul, says being victimised by SC for being a Dalit
Apex court issues warrant against sitting HC judge for ‘ignoring’ summons
Director General of West Bengal police to execute the warrant, amounting to ₹10,000, personally. Justice Karnan can furnish a bond before the police and get bail. He, however, has to give undertaking to appear before the court and if he fails to do so then the court would be compelled to issue arrest warrant.
Justice Karnan had, however, sent a letter to the CJI asking him to restore his judicial and administrative powers, which the bench rejected. He had also sent a fax to the apex court registry on March 8, seeking a meeting with the CJI to discuss administrative issues. The CJI said the fax cannot be termed as a response to the notice.
The SC had on February 8 issued contempt notice to the controversial judge who had accused several judges of the Madras high court -- where he had earlier served -- and a SC judge of corruption, nepotism and casteism. He was directed to appear on February 13, which Justice Karnan did not obey.
Instead, he wrote a letter questioning the contempt proceedings against him. According to the judge, only Parliament had the power to initiate action against a sitting high court judge by way of an impeachment motion. Yet, the constitution bench gave him another chance, albeit with a warning.
“We will give him one more opportunity. We want to hear him before framing charges,” the bench said after attorney general Mukul Rohatgi suggested the court to go ahead with the proceedings in his absence.
In his earlier letter, justice Karnan has said the contempt action against him “is erroneous and has been willfully and wantonly passed with malafide intention”.