SC stays cancellation of Raja aide's licence

A bench of justices D K Jain and H L Dattu said the operation of the Madras High Court order to suspend his licence was stayed. Fixing the matter for hearing in the first week of January, the bench observed: “It could be a contempt of court case, but (the high court) cannot issue a quo warranto notice.’’

Chandramohan’s licence was cancelled and he was suspended from the chairmanship of the Bar Council for allegedly acting as a conduit for disgraced former telecom minister A Raja to influence a judge of the Madras High Court. Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, who appeared for Chandramohan, said: “The high court has proceeded to hold the petitioner guilty of interfering in the administration of justice by proceeding as if the document has been proved against him and that without giving him any opportunity to defend himself and against the principles of natural justice.’’

The high court should not have suspended Chandramohan on the basis of a PIL when Justice R Reghupathi did not initiate any action at that time under the contempt of courts law, Rohtagi said.