Pradeep Aggarwal has been convicted by the Delhi High Court for criminal contempt and fined Rs. 1 lakh. His actions involved attempting to extort money and manipulate property prices through legal maneuvers.
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NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court has recently handed down a conviction for criminal contempt of court to Pradeep Aggarwal, ordering him to remain present in court throughout the day as part of his punishment. Additionally, the court has imposed a substantial fine of Rs.1 lakh on the contemnor, underscoring the severity of his actions.
Aggarwal’s conviction stems from his attempt to extort money from the owner of an alleged illegal construction. The court found that he had filed a petition against the construction in the High Court with the ulterior motive of seeking financial gain to withdraw the plea. It was further revealed that Aggarwal’s intentions included driving down the property’s price, as he desired to purchase it at a reduced rate.
The case was presided over by a Division Bench comprising Justices Prathiba M. Singh and Amit Sharma. The bench emphasized the gravity of Aggarwal’s conduct, highlighting its profound disregard for the judicial process.
The court stated-
“The law on contempt serves to protect the authority and dignity of the Court against acts that grossly disrespect or impede its functioning. Contemnor’s acts of filing of the writ petition for personal gain is clearly an attempt to leverage the judicial system for his personal gain. Such acts not only challenge the authority of the Court but also undermine public confidence in the fairness and impartiality of the judicial process.”
In delivering the punishment, the bench took a somewhat lenient approach due to Aggarwal’s expressed remorse and apology.
The court declared-
“The Contemnor is accordingly sentenced to remain in the Court till the rising of the Court today. In addition, the Contemnor shall deposit a sum of ₹1 lakh to the Delhi High Court Legal Service Committee.”
The proceedings saw Advocate Rajesh Mahajan appearing as amicus curiae, offering his expertise to assist the court in reaching its decision. Representing Pradeep Aggarwal were Advocates Rahul Kr Singh, Rahul Kumar Kanoujia, Sanjay Prasad Verma, Sukriti Verma, and Shashi Bhushan Singh.
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