New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday asked Justice C.S. Karnan, of the Calcutta High Court, who appeared in person in response to contempt notice, to file a proper reply in four weeks even as he dared the seven judge Bench to arrest and send him to jail.
A seven judge Bench of Chief Justice J.S. Khehar and Justices Dipak Misra, J. Chelameswar, Ranjan Gogoi, Madan Lokur, Pinaki Chandra Ghose and Kurian Joseph had issued a bailable warrant to secure the presence of Justice Karnan.
This is for the first time in the annals of Indian judiciary, that a sitting High Court judge has been hauled up for contempt and a bailable warrant issued to answer contempt charges for his allegations of corruption against judges of Madras HC and SC.
When the CJI asked Justice Karnan whether he was affirming the allegations he had made in his various letters, he told the court “I had sent a number of complaints against several other judges. Instead of action being taken against them, action is taken against me. Please restore my judicial work. I am withdrawing the letters sent to the Prime Minister on January 23 against 20 judges.”
Referring to the note submitted by Justice Karnan in the court tendering unconditional apology, Justice Misra asked him whether he was tendering unconditional apology. Justice Karnan said he will if judicial and administrative work is restored to him.
