JOIN US The High Court on Tuesday ordered notice in a criminal contempt petition filed by advocate Dharmapal A and six others against Karthiyayini, the mayor of Vellore Municipal Council, for passing a resolution condemning the order of the special court judge Michael John Cunha convicting Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalitha in a disproportionate assets case.
The special court had sentenced Jayalalitha to four years of simple imprisonment with a penalty of Rs 100 crore on Sept 27, 2014. The petitioners had contended that Karthiyayini, an AIADMK member and the party councillors had passed a resolution in the municipal council in April 2015 condemning the order of special court judge. They had also burnt the effigy of the judge. The petitioners had sought for action against them under the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971. A division bench comprising Justices Mohan M Shantangoudar and R B Budihal ordered notice to the mayor and adjourned the hearing.
Riyaz’s bail plea
The High Court has ordered notice to the Lokayukta Police and Special Investigation team (SIT) represented in a bail petition filed by the Syed Riyazathulla, the suspended Joint Commissioner (PRO) of Karnataka Lokayukta. He has been booked for attempting to extort money from a PWD engineer and was arrested by the SIT recently. Hashmath Pasha, the advocate for Riyazathulla, submitted that the investigation into the case was over and the offence committed by Riyaz was not a serious one and hence he should be granted bail. Justice Narayanaswamy adjourned the matter to August 25.