The Karnataka High Court has initiated suo motu criminal contempt proceedings against a 72-year-old man for writing letters with an attempt to “scandalise the” courts.
The contemnor, S V Srinivas Rao, a resident of Bengaluru, faced a similar charge in a different proceeding in August 2010 but it was dropped after he tendered an unconditional apology.
This time around, the high court directed the registrar to initiate suo motu proceedings against him on November 6, 2020.
Rao used objectionable adjectives in his memo against judges of the apex court and the high court and lawyers. Subsequently, he wrote a letter to the registry on January 21, 2021, stating that he decided to “kill” two erring judges among the highly corrupt 28 judges of the high court and the apex court and two corrupt lawyers.
A division bench headed by Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka observed that no person can be allowed to intimidate or terrorise judges. “On the face of it, the allegations tend to scandalise the courts. Such allegations will definitely interfere with the due course of judicial proceedings. The allegations tend to obstruct the administration of justice,” the court said in its order.
“The members of the bar are also an integral part of the judicial system. By making such scandalous allegations against the members of the bar, if they are deterred from appearing in the cases, it will amount to obstruction in the administration of justice,” the court added.
Rao has been directed to appear via video conference on March 1, 2021. The court specified that his personal appearance has not been dispensed with.
Published 05 February 2021, 19:17 IST