Calcutta High Court judge C.S. Karnan, who was earlier barred by the Supreme Court from performing any administrative or judicial work, came to the High Court on Monday.
“Justice Karnan did not perform any administrative or judicial work today [Monday],” his lawyer W. Peter Ramesh Kumar told The Hindu.
Meets Chief Justice
Justice Karnan, who arrived at the High Court around 11 a.m., mostly stayed in his first floor chamber near the court room before returning to his residence in eastern Kolkata in the afternoon. “He only met the Chief Justice,” said Mr. Kumar.
Earlier in the day, Mr. Kumar warned that if anyone tried to stop Justice Karnan from entering the court, they would face legal action.
“Challenging the Supreme Court work ban, Justice Karnan is presiding in Calcutta High Court, court no. 3 today at 10.30 a.m. Any resistance will meet judicial pronouncements from Justice Karnan,” Mr. Kumar said in a message. However, he did not clarify why the judge did not enter the court on the day.
A Supreme Court order issued in February barred Justice Karnan “from handling any judicial or administrative work” in the office held by him. The court also issued a bailable warrant in a contempt of court order against Justice Karnan which he refused to accept last month.
Earlier, a seven judge Bench led by Chief Justice of India J.S. Khehar heard Attorney-General Mukul Rohtagi, who alleged that Justice Karnan should face contempt proceedings for his “scurrilous” letters against sitting and retired High Court and Supreme Court judges. Justice Karnan had written to the Prime Minister allegedly accusing several retired and sitting Supreme Court and High Court judges of corruption.
