Delhi High Court initiates contempt case against lawyer for personal attack on judges

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has initiated a criminal contempt case against a lawyer for making "personal attack" on judges and posting contemptuous comments in the chat box of the virtual platform being used for holding hybrid hearing earlier this month.

Justice Anoop Kumar Mendiratta said the reckless allegations made by the lawyer against several judicial officers as well as the comments in the chat box, which is in public domain, have "grave implications and potentiality of mischief" if not curbed with a firm hand.

The court stated that the allegations imputing motives and the use of "intemperate" language was intentional and intended to "scandalize" the judicial proceedings, which amounts to contempt.

"Petitioner (Lawyer) appears to have taken a wrong end of law, aggrieved against adverse orders passed by the Judicial Officers of the District Courts as well as this Court and cannot be permitted to cross the red line, thereby making personal attack on the Judges which undermines the integrity of the Institution," the court said in an order passed on May 15.

The court had earlier issued a show-cause notice to the lawyer, who was aggrieved by the court allegedly not hearing his personal case, and asked him to state why a notice for contempt should not be issued and contempt proceedings initiated against him.

In the latest order, the court observed that the reply of the lawyer was "again grossly contemptuous", with hardly any relevant explanation.

It observed that the individual was in the habit of making complaints and defaming the judges of the district courts who have dealt with and passed any adverse order in any of his proceedings.

"In the facts and circumstances, Registrar General is directed to place the records of the judicial proceedings before Hon’ble the Acting Chief Justice for referring the matter to the concerned Hon’ble Division Bench handling ‘criminal contempt.

"Petitioner is also directed to appear before the concerned Hon’ble Roster Division Bench on 17.05.2024," the court ordered.