Businessman, lawyer face action for allegations against judge

The Bombay High Court today issued a show cause notice to Sanjay Punamiya, a businessman, and his lawyer advocate Nilesh Ojha for making allegations against a sitting judge of the High Court.
Observing that prime facie the act amounted to contempt of the court, the bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice M S Sonak issued the notice.
The judges had earlier also issued a show cause notice to the editor and a reporter of a tabloid for reporting the allegation against the judge without waiting for the outcome of inquiry against him.
Ojha had lodged a complaint with the Chief Justice against this judge. The inquiry ordered into the allegation is still pending.

Punamiya is locked in a dispute with former Kuwaiti consul general Faisal Essa Al-Yousuf Al-Essa over possession of a flat in South Mumbai.
On May 7, the judge granted injunction against Punamiya and also issued a show cause notice asking why contempt action should not be initiated. He challenged this order before the division bench but it was dismissed today.
The matter is kept for further hearing on October 6.