Delhi High Court Orders Criminal Contempt Action Against Man For Making 'Scandalous Remarks' Against Family Court Judge In Pleadings

The Delhi High Court has directed its Registry to register a case of criminal contempt against a man for making scandalous allegations against a Principal Judge of a family court in the national capital.

“The Registry is directed to register a case of Criminal Contempt against the petitioner and subject to the orders of Hon’ble the Chief Justice, place the same before an appropriate Division Bench of this Court,” Justice Navin Chawla said.

While directing the man to appear in person before the division bench on September 1, the court prima facie observed that the husband was in the habit of making scandalous remarks against the judges in order to browbeat them.

“From the above sequence and record, it is my prima facie view that the petitioner is in the habit of making scandalous remarks against the Presiding Officers of the Courts in order to browbeat them, and generally, the Courts succumb to such tactics and are forced to transfer the cases of the petitioner to another Court, rather than being dragged into this malicious campaign,” the court said.

Justice Chawla was dealing with a plea registered on a reference received from the Principal Judge, Family Courts, Rohini Courts whereby the judge had sought transfer of the matrimonial dispute pending before it to some other court of competent jurisdiction.

The Principal Judge had stated that the application filed by the husband was drafted in an “offensive and intemperate manner” and, therefore, a recusal and transfer was sought.

Justice Chawla noted the husband, in his written submissions filed on July 15, had made various scandalous and offensive remarks against the judge.

“The petitioner further makes reference to the complaints against some employees of the Court, who are not, admittedly, posted with the learned Principal Judge. He submits that an inquiry against these employees is going on before the said Court. However, the reference itself records that the said complaints have already been disposed of after an inquiry by the Vigilance Committee of the Family Courts,” the court said.

It also noted that the husband had been making repeated scandalous remarks against various other courts, forcing judges to transfer the cases to some other courts.

While rejecting the judge’s request to transfer the matter to some other court, Justice Chawla said:

“Merely because the petitioner, who appears in person, makes scandalous remarks against the Judge, the learned Principal Judge should not have sought her recusal from the cases and sought transfer of the same to another Judge. The court should have, instead, taken stern action against the petitioner, so as to uphold the majesty of the Court and the Law.”

Case Title: NARENDER BHUTANI v. ANJALI BHUTANI

Citation: 2023 LiveLaw (Del) 695

Click Here To Read Order