Kolkata: Facing contempt charges, Calcutta High Court judge Justice CS Karnan on Thursday declined his permission for the medical test, which was ordered by a seven-judge bench of the Supreme Court.
On Thursday morning, a three-member medical team visited Justice Karnan’s house in Kolkata’s New Town area and requested him to appear for the test as per the Supreme Court order. However, Justice Karnan refused to undergo any sort of medical test and gave then a written reply.
Minutes before the medical team arrived, Justice Karnan held a press briefing where he termed his the Supreme Court order for his ‘medically examination’ illegal.
Justice Karnan said, “As per law, guardian signature is necessary if someone has to go through such medical test. In my case. this procedure was not followed. Let them come and do my medical test.”
“The order passed by the seven judges does not have any merit. This is not a legal order. This is a mad order. My fight is against corruption and I will continue to fight against it,” he said.
On May 1, the seven-judge bench comprising Chief Justice of India J S Khehar, Justice Dipak Misra, Justice Chelameshwar, Justice Ranjan Gogoi, Justice Madan B Lokur, Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose and Justice Kurian Joseph instructed the Director General of Police, West Bengal to constitute a team of police personnel and ensure that Justice Karnan is medically examined on May 4 and a report is submitted in the court by May 8.
He said, “Even if they give medicines, injections or any medical aid…doctors are bound to tell the patients. I am not saying it…this is what written in the law.”
Responding to a question whether he will take any action against the doctors or the policemen who will come for his medical test, he said, “Everything you will come to know soon.”
The seven judges had issued a suo motu contempt order against Justice Karnan in February after he had named “20 corrupt judges” and was seeking probe against them to curb “high corruption” in the Indian judiciary. Also, he was stripped off of his judicial and administrative powers.