The Supreme Court has directed a lawyer, found guilty of criminal contempt and sentenced to six months imprisonment for making “scandalous, unwarranted, and baseless imputations” against sitting judges of the Delhi High Court and district courts in the national capital, to issue an unconditional apology to the targeted judges.
On January 9, the Delhi High Court held the lawyer in contempt and imposed a six-month jail term along with a fine of Rs 2,000. Additionally, the court directed his custody and transfer to the Superintendent of Tihar Jail. The lawyer’s petition was taken up by a bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, along with Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, after it was mentioned before them.
The bench highlighted that the high court, in its verdict, offered the lawyer an opportunity to apologize for the “contemptuous allegations” made in a plea. However, the lawyer responded negatively, affirming that he stood by the allegations. The lawyer’s representative conveyed his client’s readiness to issue an unconditional apology.
Before considering the request, the bench directed the lawyer to file an unconditional apology on affidavit before the judges of the high court and district judiciary against whom he had made the allegations. The bench further instructed the police authorities to arrange for the lawyer to be produced in person before each of the concerned judges for filing the apology. The matter is scheduled for a hearing at 3 PM on January 16.
In its verdict, the high court emphasized the need to address such contumacious actions with a “firm hand,” considering the lawyer’s status as an officer of the court. The lawyer had filed a plea before a single judge of the high court in July 2022, accusing several judges of arbitrary, whimsical, or biased behavior, and had named the judges in his petition.
