The Supreme Court issued a bailable warrant against Calcutta High Court judge CS Karnan for showing contempt to the apex court by not appearing before it as ordered. Justice Karnan who had been issued a contempt notice earlier in February by the Apex court refused to appear before the bench in Friday’s hearing and has been served a bailable warrant by a bench headed by CJI J.S. Khehar and has been asked to furnish a personal bond of Rs. 10,000. However, Justice Karnan said the warrant against him is an attempt to “ruin his career and life”.
The Supreme Court has directed the West Bengal Director General of Police to personally execute the warrant against Justice Karnan to ensure his appearance before it on March 31.
The order came as Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi told the court that Justice Karnan has refused to appear before the court in contempt case and under the Supreme Court Rules, if a person does not appear, a bailable warrant be issued against him.
Commenting on the warrant issued by the apex court, he said, “Order is arbitrary. It is deliberately issued against me in order to ruin my life, career.”
“The Supreme Court is not my master,” said the judge, alleging that he was being targeted because he is a Dalit.
“This is a caste issue. A Dalit judge (is being) prevented from doing work in a public office. That is atrocity,” Justice Karnan said after holding his “court” and issuing a “writ order” to the CBI.
“I am going to operate my judicial powers. All seven judges have to resign and should be prosecuted,” declared the judge, also urging the President to cancel the Supreme Court’s warrant against him.
“I complained against 20 judges and a former Prime Minister. This is the reason why a Suo Moto case has been registered against me. They are harassing me intentionally. One Constitution cannot be hurdle against another constitutional body,” said Karnan.
This is the first time in the country’s judicial history that a sitting judge is being served a bailable warrant by a seven-judge Bench in a suo motu contempt case for his alleged disparaging remarks against High Court and Supreme Court judges calculated to “lower the dignity of the judicial institution”.
