A criminal contempt process has been initiated against AAP leaders and others over alleged scandalous remarks targeting a Delhi High Court judge. The petitioner has sought mandatory consent under law, after which the case will be formally filed before the court.
A criminal contempt proceeding has been set in motion before the Delhi High Court against prominent Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders and two individuals described as self-styled journalists, following allegations of making scandalous statements against a sitting High Court judge.
Advocate Ashok Chaitanya has taken the first formal legal step by submitting a requisition seeking consent from the Standing Counsel (Criminal), Government of NCT of Delhi, as mandated under Section 15(1)(c) of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971. This consent is a prerequisite for initiating criminal contempt proceedings by a private individual.
The proposed respondents named in the draft petition include Arvind Kejriwal, Saurabh Bharadwaj, Gopal Rai, along with individuals identified as Saurav Das and Shyam Meera Singh.
According to the petitioner, the matter relates to alleged публикаtions and social media content targeting Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma of the Delhi High Court. The petition claims that such content amounts to criminal contempt as it allegedly attempts to scandalize the court and interfere with the administration of justice.
In his statement explaining the move, the petitioner said,
“Yesterday, I took the first mandatory legal step to initiate Criminal Contempt proceedings against AAP leaders Arvind Kejriwal, Saurabh Bhardwaj, Gopal Rai, and the self styled journalists Saurav Das & Shyam Meera Singh. I have officially submitted the requisition for consent to the Standing Counsel (Criminal), GNCTD, as required under Section 15 of the Contempt of Courts Act. After obtaining this consent letter, the petition will immediately be filed. The process has already been initiated.”
The petitioner has alleged that the statements made against the judge are not isolated but part of a broader, coordinated effort. He stated,
“An orchestrated, malicious campaign of scandalous allegations against a sitting Judge of the Delhi High Court. This is a calculated attempt to exert extra-judicial pressure in the ongoing liquor scam case. Politically motivated attacks cannot be allowed to lower the majesty of our Courts or obstruct the flow of justice. I will see this through to its logical conclusion!”
As per procedure under the Contempt of Courts Act, a private individual can initiate criminal contempt proceedings only after obtaining written consent from either the Attorney General, Solicitor General, or in the case of the High Court, the Advocate General or an authorized law officer such as the Standing Counsel (Criminal). The petitioner has now triggered this process, and the matter will move forward depending on whether such consent is granted.
The development comes in the backdrop of heightened political and legal tensions surrounding ongoing investigations in the alleged Delhi liquor policy case, with courts actively hearing related matters. If consent is granted, the contempt petition is expected to be formally filed before the Delhi High Court for further proceedings.
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