The Supreme Court on Thursday asked Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy to amend his petition seeking initiation of suo motu contempt proceedings against Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram and his son Karthi Chidambaram for allegedly threatening him with a defamation suit in Singapore and obstructing the course of justice.
A Bench of Justices G.S. Singhvi and K.S. Radhakrishnan, while permitting Dr. Swamy to amend his petition, directed the matter to be listed for further hearing on September 27, when all applications connected with the 2G case will also heard.
Dr. Swamy told the court that Advantage Strategic Consulting Singapore Pte. Ltd., a company substantially owned and controlled by Mr. Karthi Palaniappan Chidambaram (contemnor No. 1), had arranged to file a defamation suit against him in a Singapore court. He said the company was completely owned by the Indian company which had close links with contemnor 1.
At this juncture, Justice Singhvi told Dr. Swamy that since the Indian company had not been impleaded, he should amend the contempt petition by naming the company in the petition.
Dr. Swamy alleged that the contemnors, by filing the defamation suit had sought to obstruct the administration of justice through their employees and agents, and more particularly through Advantage Strategic Consulting Singapore Pte Ltd. He prayed for initiating criminal contempt proceedings under Section 15 of the Contempt of Courts Act 1971 against Mr. Chidambaram and his son.
The Bench, while posting the matter for further hearing on September 27, directed the Registry to post all applications relating to the 2G case for hearing on that day. It said it would consider the status reports filed by the CBI, Enforcement Directorate and the Income-Tax Department and asked the Registry to inform them of the date of hearing.
