The Madras High Court has sent a stern message to those who write anonymous and pseudonymous threatening letters to judges attempting to dissuade them from taking just decisions in certain cases.
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“The courts are not pliable for such kind of threats and such cheap attempts will not stand in the way of dispensing justice,” the court said.
Justice R.N. Manjula wrote that she wants this message to be delivered in loud terms, by dismissing a petition filed by self-styled godman, C.N. Siva Shankaran, alias Siva Shankar Baba to quash one of the many First Information Reports (FIRs) registered against him by the State police on charges of having subjected children and women to sexual harassment.
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The judge placed on record an “ugly turn” that took place after she reserved orders on the FIR quash petition. “Pseudonymous letters of threat were sent for dissuading this court from passing orders in this petition. Such cheap attitude on the part of the person who sent would only show cowardice and disregard to the process of the court,” she said.
Justice Manjula had initially allowed the petition on October 17, 2022 and quashed the FIR registered by the Crime Branch-Criminal Investigation Department in Chennai. However, at the instance of the victim as well as State Public Prosecutor Hasan Mohamed Jinnah, the judge recalled her order on November 21, 2022.
Thereafter, she heard the petition afresh and allowed the victim’s counsel too, to make her submissions before reserving the orders on November 29, 2022. It took three months to deliver the verdict after analysing the arguments advanced by both sides and in the meantime, the judge had received pseudonymous letters of threat.