Supreme Court of India criticised a litigant after Surya Kant revealed in open court that the litigant’s father phoned his brother to question a judicial order. CJI Surya Kant remarked Stating, “Nobody dares to do this… I have dealt with such elements for 23 years.”
The Supreme Court angrily criticized a litigant whose father allegedly phoned the brother of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant to question a court order a fact the CJI disclosed in open court.
The CJI said,
“He calls up my brother and asks him how the Chief Justice of India has passed this order,”
The dispute involves Nikhil Kumar Punia, who was born into an upper-caste Jaat Puniya family and later converted to Buddhism, seeking reservation as a minority. When the case was first heard on January 28, The Bench of CJI Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi expressed strong objections to the plea, calling it a “new type of fraud.”
The Court asked the Haryana government to explain the rules for issuing minority certificates and whether people from upper-caste general category backgrounds can obtain such a certificate by claiming conversion to Buddhism.
At Wednesday’s hearing, CJI Kant stated that the petitioner’s father had telephoned his brother to challenge the Court’s order.
The CJI asked the petitioner’s lawyer,
“Now you tell us why we should not initiate criminal contempt against the father of your client. You are not serious in the matter. Are you aware what he has done? Should I disclose it in open court?”
The petitioner’s counsel replied,
“I am not aware, Your Lordship. We have not received any report,”
CJI Kant said,
“He calls up my brother and asks him how the Chief Justice of India has passed this order. Will he dictate us? This is his conduct,”
The lawyer reiterated,
“I am not aware of this, Your Lordship,”
The CJI warned,
“You verify it. As counsel, you should first consider withdrawing. This is sheer misconduct. Even if he is outside India, I know how to deal with such people,”
The counsel said,
“I am very sorry, sir, but I am not aware of all this,”
The CJI added,
“Nobody dares to do this. And you think I will transfer the case because of this? I have dealt with such elements for the last 23 years,”
The lawyer responded,
“I am very sorry, sir,”
CJI Kant concluded,
“I think you are trying to manipulate matters there as well. This is what you are doing,”
The Court adjourned after noting that Haryana has not yet filed a compliance report ordered earlier.
Also Read: CJI Surya Kant: I Will Not Take Browbeating, Not So Easy With Me
The Court directed,
“Let Mr. Singhal, learned Additional Advocate General for the State of Haryana, take instructions and submit a compliance report of our earlier order. If not, the Chief Secretary of the State of Haryana shall remain personally present in Court on the next date,”
The matter is scheduled to be heard again next week.