New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday held Calcutta High Court judge Justice CS Karnan guilty of contempt of court and sentenced him to six months imprisonment.
Holding Justice Karnan guilty of contempt for his utterances against the Chief Justice of India and other judges of the apex court and the Madras High Court, a seven-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar had barred the electronic and print media from carrying any of his statements.
The court further ordered the immediate arrest of Justice Karnan, who had written a series of letters making allegations against the judges of the apex court and the high court.
The apex court said that its order needs to be executed forthwith.
Meanwhile, Justice Karnan told CNN-News18 that the SC has no authority to pass an order and insisted that he would not surrender.
On Monday, Justice Karnan “sentenced” Chief Justice of India JS Khehar and seven other judges of the Supreme Court to five years rigorous imprisonment after holding them guilty of harassing a “Dalit Judge” (him), with a “common intention”.
In January, Karnan wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi naming 20 “corrupt judges”, and seeking probe against them to curb “high corruption” in the Indian judiciary.
The Supreme Court then issued him a contempt notice, an unprecedented step against a sitting judge. After he failed to appear, it on March 10, in another first time move, issued a bailable warrant against him.
But the judge escalated the row by ordering a Central Bureau of Investigation probe against the seven judges.
Karnan appeared before the seven-judge bench on March 31, but renewed the confrontation on April 13, passing a “judicial order” against them for “violating” the SC/ST Act and also asked them to appear before him.
Later, he directed the Air Control Authority in New Delhi not to allow the CJI and other six judges to travel abroad.
The Supreme Court asked him to undergo a medical test on May 04, but Karnan not only refused to comply, but also hit back by directing Delhi Police to conduct a psychiatric test of the seven judges.
(With Agency inputs)
Source: Zee News