Supreme Court issues bailable warrant against Justice Karnan in contempt case

The Supreme Court on Friday issued a bailable warrant against sitting Calcutta high court judge CS Karnan for his failure to appear before it in a contempt case.

The Apex court directed the West Bengal DGP to personally execute the warrant against Justice Karnan to ensure his appearance before it on March 31.

The court refused to consider Justice Karnan's letter as his reply to contempt notice.

Justice Karnan will have to furnish a personal bond of Rs 10,000 to secure bail in the contempt case.

Eralier , the Supreme Court had asked Calcutta High Court judge C S Karnan to appear in person and explain his allegations against judges, saying the apex court must have thought "enough is enough" and that his actions needed to be dealt with a "stern hand".

A seven-judge bench headed by Chief Justice J S Khehar had not only summoned Justice Karnan on February 13 but also asked him to refrain from doing judicial and administrative work with immediate effect.

Noted jurist and former Attorney General Soli Sorabjee was blunt in his reaction and called for "stern" action against the HC judge.

"Justice Karnans actions have lowered the authority and dignity of the judiciary. A sitting judge making such allegations against brother judges must be dealt with a stern hand," Sorabjee had said.

On the issue of the show cause notice to the judge in the suo-motu contempt proceeding, he said, "Lets see what happens."

Another senior lawyer, who is associated with the case and did not want to be named, had said the apex court rightly issued the notice and divested Justice Karnan from taking up judicial and administrative work as it must have thought "enough is enough".

Senior advocate and Rajya Sabha member K T S Tulsi condemned Justice Karnans actions and his open letters, saying he has rendered himself "unfit" as a judge with his "gross misbehaviour".

He concurred with the views of Sorabjee and said, "Justice Karnan has rendered himself unfit as a judge and deserves to be impeached. This is gross misbehaviour by him. If he had any issues, he should have informed the proper authority and not have gone out to the media."

In a packed courtroom, the seven-judge bench asked Justice Karnan to return all judicial and administrative files in his possession to Registrar General of the High Court immediately. (with PTI Inputs)

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