SC asks Justice Karnan to file reply within four weeks on contempt charges

The Supreme Court on Friday asked Calcutta High Court Justice C.S. Karnan, who has levelled allegations of corruption and caste discrimination against senior judges of the Madras High Court and the apex court, to file his reply within four weeks.

Justice Karnan, who today appeared before the apex court after a bailable warrant was issued against him, asked the top court to restore his judicial and administrative work before responding to the contempt notice.

"Please permit me to perform my judicial and administrative work," Justice Karnan told an apex court bench headed by Chief Justice of India Jagdish Singh Khehar.

However, the apex court bench refused to pay heed to his plea and said, "If you remain apologetic then the matter would be different."

Justice Karnan in his reply told the court that his statement should be recorded so that he does not have to appear during the next hearing.

After conclusion of the hearing, Justice Karnan told the media that he would pass on order against the seven judges of the bench to restrain their administrative power.

"I ordered the registrar general of the Supreme Court that he deduct 50, 000 every month from the salary of these seven judges of the bench who defied to pay me the compensation of Rs. 14 crore which I have demanded through a letter dated 15/03/2017 for defamation," he said.

He alleged that these seven judges of the Supreme Court were operating on malafide intentions.

"The attitude and the behavior was against Indian norms and construction. This sort of behavior will not only be known to Indians but the international community," he said.

Earlier this month, the Supreme Court had issued a bailable warrant against Justice Karnan to secure his presence in the court on March 31.

This is for the first time in the history of Indian judiciary that a sitting High Court Judge is personally appearing before the apex court and defending himself in a case.