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.