Delhi HC issues contempt notice to lawyer accusing judge of dishonesty

New Delhi, May 16 (IANS) The Delhi High Court on Tuesday issued criminal contempt of court notice to advocate Ravi Kumar and his client after they alleged that a single-judge bench had “dishonestly” passed an order against them.

Kumar and his client had filed two appeals against the single-judge’s order.

Before the division bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad, Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma and Standing Counsel for Centre Harish Vaidyanathan Shankar apprised that the appeals state that the judge has dishonestly made an effort to favour the respondents.

However, after examining the appeals, the bench observed that such allegations being made against the judge is unfortunate and that those statements amount to contempt.

In it order, the bench said: “Let notice of contempt be issued to the petitioner and the counsel for making such type of reckless allegations against the learned single-judge which brings down the majesty of the court.”

The counsel urged the court to record his submission regarding a few rules in its order, but the bench said it would first take into account his response to the notice of contempt.

Following the conclusion of the arguments, the counsel asserted once more that the case had been decided dishonestly by a single judge and that, in accordance with the Supreme Court’s ruling, the use of the phrase “dishonest” does not constitute contempt.

The court has now listed the matter for May 29.