SC warns Justice Karnan for sending his lawyer repeatedly

The Supreme Court today warned Calcutta High Court judge Justice C S Karnan, who is evading arrest, for sending his advocate repeatedly to seek urgent hearing against the award of six-month jail term to him, and even told his lawyer that he could be thrown out of the court.

The apex court came down heavily against his lawyer Mathews J Nedumpara, who was told that he can even be asked to be "thrown out" of the court for making it a habit to mention the matter "over and over again".

"We are saying no and yet you (lawyer) continue to come again and again. You come five times or 20 times. But we are telling you that you are interfering with the process of the court. Every day you are interfering with the process of court.

"We are liberal to you. It is for you to understand, we can be liberal and harsh," a five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice J S Khahar, which was hearing a batch of pleas on 'triple talaq', said.

The remarks were made when Nedumpara, counsel for Justice Karnan, sought urgent hearing and setting up of the 7-judge bench which had held him guilty of contempt of court with six months imprisonment on May 9.

Earlier also in the day, Nedumpara had mentioned the matter, inviting strong remarks from the CJI.

"We have asked you to file your petition before the Registry. If Registry passes it, we will hear it. You have got a habit of coming over and over again. If you interfere with the process of law, we can ask you to be thrown out," the bench had remarked.

The CJI, on May 12, had said that a "conscious decision" was taken by seven judges to sentence Justice Karnan to six months imprisonment by holding him guilty of contempt.

Nedumpara, on that day, had mentioned the matter thrice without any success. Justice Karnan had moved the apex court seeking recall of the order holding him guilty of contempt of court and sentencing him to a six-month jail term.

The seven-judge bench of the apex court had on May 9 passed the order sentencing Karnan to jail by holding him guilty of contempt of court and sentencing him to six months imprisonment, a day after he defiantly ordered eight apex court judges to be put behind bars.

It had also ordered the West Bengal police to take him into custody forthwith. However, before the apex court had pronounced the order, Justice Karnan had left Kolkata and was reported to be staying in Chennai. The West Bengal police is yet to arrest him.

Justice Karnan, who has been on a warpath with the Supreme Court for last several months, is the first sitting judge of a high Court to be sentenced. He is due to retire next month.