The Delhi High Court issued notice against a lawyer, Sanjeev Kumar, who posted contemptuous comments in the chat box during a video conference hearing. Justice Anoop Kumar Mendiratta ordered Kumar to show cause as to why contempt of court proceedings should not be initiated against him.
NEW DELHI: This Month (9th May): The Delhi High Court issued notice to a lawyer’s contemptuous comments made during a video conference hearing and has asked the lawyer to explain why contempt of court proceedings should not be initiated against him.
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The lawyer, Sanjeev Kumar, posted comments criticizing the court and expressing doubt about its ability to deliver justice. Justice Anoop Kumar Mendiratta ordered Kumar to show cause, emphasizing the need to maintain decorum during virtual proceedings.
Background:
During a recent video conference hearing, lawyer Sanjeev Kumar posted a series of contemptuous comments in the chat box.
One of the comments read,
“But this court is slow to hear my cases. Jo darta hai, wo kabhi justice nahi kar payega” (One who has fear will not be able to do justice).
These comments were reproduced by the single-judge in the order, bringing them to the court’s attention.
Despite being given an opportunity to express remorse for his comments, Sanjeev Kumar did not show any regret. Instead, he stood by his remarks and informed the court that he would withdraw his review petition and approach the Supreme Court instead. This lack of remorse further aggravated the court’s concerns over the lawyer’s behavior.
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The court, in its order, highlighted that as a practicing lawyer, Sanjeev Kumar was expected to maintain decorum and respect for the judicial process. However, his comments displayed a lack of respect for the court and its functioning. The court emphasized that while the lawyer has the right to pursue legal remedies, it does not grant him the liberty to make contemptuous allegations that undermine the authority of the court.
The court deemed Sanjeev Kumar’s comments as an attempt to interfere with the judicial proceedings. It noted that the comments were made with the intention to scandalize the court and were patently contemptuous.
“On the face of record, the comments were placed in public domain with intention to scandalize the Court and are patently contemptuous and interfere with due course of judicial proceedings. Since the comments have been placed to undermine the authority of the Court in the perception of public at large, the same fall within the ambit of criminal contempt under Section 14 of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971,” it said.
Given the seriousness of the matter, the court directed Sanjeev Kumar to explain why contempt of court proceedings should not be initiated against him. The lawyer has been given a deadline of three days to file his reply, providing an opportunity to present his defense.
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Sanjeev Kumar has three days to file his response to the court’s show cause notice. It is expected that he will present his arguments and justifications to convince the court why contempt proceedings should not be initiated against him. The court will carefully consider his response during the upcoming hearing.
Case Title: Sanjeev Kumar vs State NCT of Delhi
View order
