Delhi High Court Sentences Lawyer To 4 Months In Jail For Making Derogatory Remarks, Filing Frivolous Complaints Against Judges

The Delhi High Court has sentenced a lawyer to four months in jail after finding him guilty of criminal contempt for making derogatory remarks against judges and filing repeatedly frivolous complaints against them as well as the police officers.

A division bench comprising of Justice Prathiba M Singh and Justice Amit Sharma observed that the lawyer neither showed any remorse for his conduct nor expressed any apology and that his entire conduct was merely an attempt to scandalize and malign the Courts.

“Such a conduct on behalf of the Contemnor, especially, someone who is qualified as an Advocate cannot be left unpunished,” the Court said.

In May, a single judge had initiated suo moto criminal contempt case against the lawyer after he made personal remarks on judges and posted contemptuous comments in the chat box while appearing through virtual mode during proceedings.

The comments were- “hope this court will pass the order on merit without pressure of bar members review no 120/2024”, “Jo darta hai wo kabhi justice nhi kar payega”, “janboojhkar slow slow hearings karti hai”, “galat order pass karti hai, pandit ki tarah bhavishya vani karti hai...Without merit order pass karti hai”, “Mere cases na sunne ke liye bar members ka pressure.”

Perusing 30-40 complaints filed by the lawyer as well as the comments made by him in the chat box, the bench observed that scandalous and derogatory allegations were made by him against trial court judges, High Court judges and police officers in order to settle scores with his wife and her family.

“The fact that hybrid hearings which are meant to assist litigants and advocates are in fact being misused to put such derogatory remarks in the chat box, leaves no manner of doubt in the mind of the Court that the Contemnor is liable to be punished for criminal contempt,” the court said.

While sentencing the lawyer to simple imprisonment of four months, the bench also imposed a fine of Rs. 2,000 on him.

“It is directed that the police authorities shall take Contemnor into custody from the Court itself and the Contemnor be sent to Jail,” the bench further ordered while refusing to suspend the order of sentencing.

Title: COURT ON ITS OWN MOTION v. SANJEEV KUMAR

Citation: 2024 LiveLaw (Del) 1208

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