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Justice Karnan lashes out, says SC contempt proceedings against him 'not maintainable'

Justice Karnan said, “I have furnished comprehensive proof of unethical practices happening with the respective courts.”

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Justice CS Karnan, the sitting judge against whom the Supreme Court initiated contempt proceedings, has hit back. The judge from Calcutta High Court wrote a strongly-worded letter addressed to the Supreme Court’s Registrar General, lashing out against the judges in the top court for initiating contempt proceedings against him.
 
In the four-page letter dated February 9, Justice Karnan started out with the point that the proceedings against him were not maintainable. He added, by sending the letter to the prime minister’s office (PMO), he had simply brought forward and submitted proof of “high irregularities and illegalities in the judicial courts.”
 
“I am also a responsible judge to control such high irregularities especially corruption and malpractice. I have furnished comprehensive proof of unethical practices happening with the respective courts.”
 
The judge, who had famously stayed his own transfer from Madras High Court to Calcutta High court, added that the Courts did not have the power to enforce punishments against him. He said, proceedings against him should be taken up after the current Chief Justice of India (CJI) JS Khehar retires in August later this year. If there is urgency, Justice Karnan said, the matter could be taken up in the Parliament.
 
Justice Karnan had also referred to an order he had passed on February 15, 2016 against the CJI, directing initiation of a criminal case against him. “Therefore, the present Chief Justice is bearing the same prejudice as in the past by passing the same order”.
 
Going a step further, Justice Karnan wrote that he was being targeted by the “upper caste judges,” because he was a Dalit. He said, the very same judges were taking the law in their hands and misusing judicial power.
 
In the letter that Justice Karnan had written to the PMO in January, he had mentioned the names of 20 judges – apparently the first of many lists to come, who had indulged in corruption, taking exception to one particular judge at the Madras High Court.
 
The SC had taken note of this January letter to initiate proceedings against him. The apex court has directed Justice Karnan to appear before the specially constituted seven-judge bench – comprising of the senior most judges, and submit his defence on Monday.
 
This is the first time such proceedings have been initiated. It remains to be seen, how the judiciary will forge ahead, since this case would set a precedent.

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