Supreme Court issues notice to Sanjay Raut, journalist over CJI remarks

The Supreme Court on Friday issued notice on a petition seeking contempt of court proceedings against Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut and journalist Nikhil Wagle for remarks against Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant.

A bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi issued notice on the petition filed by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA).

Appearing for the petitioner association, its president, senior advocate Pradeep Rai, said, "We are pained to initiate this. One is a responsible journalist, one a member of Parliament. Ultimately, we had thought that if we ignore this now, there are so many others who are instigated by this and they are doing something utterly inappropriate."

Rai said such actions bring disrepute to the institution. After the bench issued notice, Rai urged the court to seek their personal presence.

"People don't understand they are being trapped," the CJI said. Backing the SCBA plea, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said, "Many of them understand. They do it deliberately. They misunderstand that it will not bring pressure on court. They believe it will bring pressure. Attempt is that, may be a futile one."

'Very, very unfortunate': CJI

The CJI said at least one of the two alleged contemnors has been coming to the court in matters of personal liberty, etc. in the past also and "courts have never lagged behind in protecting those rights. If you still keep on condemning, inciting, taking left and right, it's very unfortunate, very very unfortunate".

The bench said it is exempting them from personal appearance for the first hearing. "We are giving a show cause... as of now we are granting exemption for personal appearance. Let us see," the CJI said.

On Thursday too, the Supreme Court, while taking up the petition by Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and other INDIA bloc leaders challenging the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and the functioning of the Election Commission, had asked Raut, who is one of the petitioners, to explain his conduct. The court said in its order that "...the petition on behalf of Petitioner No. 6 is entertained on a provisional basis, subject to his explaining his conduct".

Raut allegedly made remarks critical of the CJI for not meeting Rahul Gandhi, who had sought an appointment to raise issues related to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the SIR. Wagle too allegedly used certain abusive words for the CJI but later deleted them.