Justice Karnan is first judge to be sent to jail by Supreme Court for contempt
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday sentenced Calcutta High Court judge Justice C S Karnan to six months in jail for contempt of court and said its order needed to be executed forthwith.
Justice Karnan is the first judge in Indian judicial history to be sent to jail.
The apex court also banned the media from publishing the content of orders passed by Justice Karnan last night by which he "sentenced" Chief Justice of India J S Khehar and seven other judges of the Supreme Court to five years rigorous imprisonment.
The top court ordered the Bengal Director General of Police to arrest Justice Karnan immediately.
The 61-year-old judge earned the top court’s ire after he named 20 ‘corrupt judges’ in the judiciary earlier this year and demanded an investigation alleging corruption.
He also wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging a probe.
The Supreme Court then transferred him from the Madras High Court to Kolkata – a decision he critiqued as victimisation 'since he was a Dalit'.
Justice Karnan had on May 4 declined to undergo a mental health checkup as ordered by the Supreme Court, telling a team of doctors he was "absolutely normal" and had a "stable mind".
The apex court has taken suo motu cognisance of various letters written by Justice Karnan against judges of the Madras high court and the Supreme Court and restrained him from exercising administrative and judicial power from February 8.
Justice Karnan appeared before the Supreme Court on March 31 in connection with the contempt proceeding, becoming the first high court judge to do so in the history of Indian judiciary.