JUDGMENT ON CONTEMPT PETITION

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In Re : Ajay Kumar Pandey vs Date Of Judgment:20/09/1996 on 20 September, 1996

Cites 24 docs - [View All]
The Indian Penal Code, 1860

Section 167 in The Indian Penal Code, 1860

Section 504 in The Indian Penal Code, 1860

Section 506 in The Indian Penal Code, 1860

The Contempt Of Courts Act, 1971


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Supreme Court of India

Bench: K Ramaswamy, B Hansaria
PETITIONER:

IN RE : AJAY KUMAR PANDEY

Vs.

RESPONDENT:

DATE OF JUDGMENT: 20/09/1996

BENCH:

K. RAMASWAMY, B.L. HANSARIA

ACT:

HEADNOTE:

JUDGMENT:

O R D E R

The contemner is a practising advocate. He filed Complaint Case No.451 of
1994 in the Court of VI Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Lucknow against
Shri Mahesh Giri, advocate and Ms. Saroj Bala, VII Additional District Judge,
Lucknow for offences under Section 499/500 IPC. Mr. Mahesh Giri, at the relevant
time, was the govt. counsel deputed to work for the prosecution in criminal
cases in the Court of VII Additional District Judge, Lucknow. It was alleged in
the complaint tread with notice which preceded it as also contemner's statement
recorded under Section 200 Cr. P.C.) that the accused namely, Mahesh Giri,
advocate and Ms. Saroj Bala, VII Additional District Judge, Lucknow had imputed
sexual relations between the contemner and Ms. Saroj Bala which had defamed the
contemner and, therefore, he prayed that the accused be tried for the said
offences. The statement of the contemner was recorded under Section 200 Cr. P.C.
on 21.9.94 but it remained inconclusive. The statement was finally record on
26.10.94 and, thereafter, the case was ajourned for enquiry under Section 202
Cr. P.C.. It was stated that the petitioner moved an application that the
witnesses whom the contemner wanted to examine under Section 202 Cr. P.C. may be
summoned by the Court as almost all of them were practising advocates and
influential persons but the complaint itself was dismissed by the Magistrate on
16.11.94. The petitioner. thereafter, filed a Criminal Revision against the
aforesaid order in the High Court but it was dismissed on 15.2.95. Hon'ble
Virendra Saran, J. of the Allahabad High Court who disposed of the Revision
observed, inter alia, under:- "It is well settled that if the veiled object of a
lame prosecution is to disgrace, humiliate or cause harassment to the accused,
the High Court must put an end to the mischief by quashing such

criminal proceedings. The facts of the record Of the instant case give a
horrendous account of a framed-up case against a responsible member of five
lower judiciary holding the post of an Additional Sessions

judge at Lucknow and hence, even if the order of the learned Magistrate
dismissing the compliant under S. 203 of the Code be not woolly justified in
law, it is not a fit case for the exercise of the discretionary revisioinal

jurisdiction. There can be no doubt that the prosecution case unfolded in
the complaint and the statement of the applicant is nothing but an intricate web
of perfidious fabric. It appears that the aim of the applicant is to malign the
learned judge (Smt. Saroj Bala) and hold her at ransom. The applicant
emphatically and repeatedly read out the lewd passages from his deposition while
arguing the revision, but the palpably

scurrilous, indecent and abominable recitals are not worth reproduction in
the judgment. Suffice it to observe that the arguments of the applicant, so
vehement and pungent, marked with sarcasm and sneer, do not impart any strength
to his case which in inherently unbelievable. They are submissions directed more
towards vilification than substantiation of the pivotal points of the case. I
was constrained to ask the applicant not to make savage additions to the
evidence and show restraint in his colloquy."

2. The contemner, thereafter, filed SLP (Crl.) Nos.819- 20 of 1996 against the
aforesaid Judgment and Order dated 15.2.95 of Hon'ble Virendra Saran, J. in this
Court in which he impleaded only State of U.P. as a proforma respondent.

3. A similar complaint under Sections 500 and 504 IPC was also filed by the
contemner against (1) Shri Prakash Narayan Awasthi, Advocate (2) Shri R.P.
Misra, Advocate (3) Shri Vishambhar Singh, Advocate (4) Shri T.N. Misra,
Advocate (5) Shri Srikant Verma, Advocate (6) Shri Pankaj Sinha, Advocate and
(7) Shri N.C. Pradhan, Advocate in which again it was alleged that similar
imputations were made by the aforesaid advocates between contemner and Ms. Saroj
Bala. This was registered as Complaint Case NO.101 of 1995 in which petitioner's
statement was recorded under Section 200 Cr. P.C. In order to produce witnesses
under Section 202 Cr. P.C., the contemner gave a list of 31 advocates,
practising at Lucknow, for being summoned by the Court as witnesses but the
application was rejected. It was against this Order that the petitioner filed
SLP (Crl.) No. 4114 of 1995 directly in this Court. The contemner also, in the
meantime, filed Contempt Petition (Crl.) Dy. No. 16199/95 against Hon'ble Mr.
Justice Virendra Saran of the Allahabad High court, Contempt Petition (Crl.) Dy.
No. 17021/95 against Ms. Saroj Bala, IV Addl. District Judge, Lucknow, Shri Udai
Raj, V A.C.J.M., Lucknow, Shri R.P. Mishra, VI Addl. C.J.M., Lucknow and
Contempt Petition (Crl.) Dy. No. 17022/95 against Shri J.C. Mishra. District
Judge, Lucknow (now Judge of the Allahabad High Court) Shri K.N. Ojha, II Addl.
District Judge. Lucknow, Shri Shailendra Saxena, III Addl. District judge,
Lucknow and Shri B.N. Pandey, Special Judge, Lucknow. All the above matters were
listed in Court No.9 before Hon'ble Dr. Justice A.S. Anand and Hon'ble Mr.
Justice M.K. Mukherjee on 15th December 1995 when the following Order was
passed:-

"In all these petitions, we

find that attack in indecent, wild, intemperate and even abusive language
on the named Judges has been made at various places in each one of the
petitions. The petitioner, who is an advocate, has permitted himself the liberty
of using such expressions, which prima-facie tend to scandlize the court in
relation to judicial matters and thus have the tendency to interfere with the
administration of justice. We are inclined to initiate contempt proceedings
against, the petitioner, but, on his request grant him six weeks time to delete
all the objectionable expressions used in the petitions and file fresh
petitions. He shall also remove the other defects as pointed out in the office
report when he files the fresh petitions. against the petitioner, after eight
weeks."

4. The contemner, however did not avail of the above opportunity and filed
Criminal Miscellaneous Petition No. 132/95 in paras 4, 5 and 6 whereof he stated
as under:- "4. That today, the matter was listed in Court No. 9 alongwith all
petitions at Sl. No. 28 and 42 and when the petitioner tried to start his
argument the court openly harrased him and compelled him to withdraw the
petition or remove all the facts but the petitioner refused to do so in view of
the facts that he has only written the facts according to section 167, 219 483
and 463 alongwith 120-B of the IPC and section 44 and 165 of the evidence act
alongwith section 2-C and Section 16 and 12 and 15 of the contempt of court act
and the Indian Constitution.

5. That the Court is not allowed the petitioner to submit his argument an
passed an order to remove the all facts from the petition and filed the fresh
petitions and also ordered for listing the matter after 8 weeks. Thereafter, the
petitioner mentioned and also tried to give in writing that he is not in a
position to remove anything and file fresh petitions in view of the fact that
the wrote only truth and the court is bound to hear the petition and decide the
same according to the constitution and contempt of Court Act and other laws as
challenged by the petitioner but the Court without saying anything retired to
its chamber.

6. That the petitioner is not in a position to remove anything and the
deliberate injustice, Fraud cheating etc. had been done by the contemnors for
concealing their nefarious acts and even they had gone to this extent to
destroyed the judicial records and fabricated some judicial papers.

5. This application was considered by the Court Hon'ble Dr. Justice A.S. Anand
and Hon'ble Mr. Justice M.K. Mukherjee on 20.2.96 and in the Order passed
thereon it was inter alia stated as under:-

"Inspite of the petitioner`s attention having beer, drawn to the above
noted passages on 15.12.1995, which we felt prima facie, tended to scandalise
the court Courts in relation to the judicial matters and had the tendency to
interfere with the administration of justice and that the attack against the
judges was indecent, wild, intemperate and abusive, the petitioner refused to
these objectionable passages and on the contrary, in his petition (Crl. M.P. No.
132 of 1996), he has asserted that he is not prepared to remove the
Objectionable

passages/sentences. On the other hand the petitioner asserts that this
Court is bound to hear the petitioner and decide the same "without the
petitioner being obliged to remove the objectionable passages. This clearly
discloses the adamant and defiant attitude of the petitioner.

We, therefore, direct that a Rule be issued against the petitioner asking
him to show cause why he should not be punished for committing criminal contempt
of Court for the use of the objectionable language in this petition and the
subsequent application. The petitioner should file his reply to the Rule within
eight weeks.

List on 26th April, 1996.

The petitioner-in-person has been informed of the date and has been bound
down to appear on the next date. No fresh notice, therefore, need be issued to
him.

A copy or the order issuing the Rule shall be handed over to the
petitioner-in-person.

We request the Solicitor General Shri Dipankar Gupta to assist the Court in
these proceeding either himself or by nominating some other law officer.

This record of case may be forwarded to the learned Solicitor General.

This special leave petition dismissed in vies of what we have noticed above
as also on merits. The contempt proceedings shall be separately numbered .

6. The contempt matter has since been registered as Contempt Petition (Crl.)
2/96. The contemner in the meantime, moved application for recall for
recall/review of the Order dated 20.2.96 but the application was rejected by
Order dated 9.8.96. The contemner also filed a Contempt Petition (CRL.) No.
13/96 against Hon'ble Dr. Justice A.S. Anand and Hon'ble Mr . Justice M.K.
Mukherjee which was rejected by this Court (Hon'ble Mr. Justice J.S. Verma and
Hon'ble Mr. Justice B.N. Kirpal) on 5.8.96 by the following Order:

"We regret to find that the petitioner who is a practicing lawyer of some
standing has chosen to such a proceeding which resort to such a proceeding which
in our view is misconceived. We find no merit in the same but before dictating
this order, we have tried to explain this position to the petitioner with the
hope that he will appreciate that as member of the Bar he is expected to utilise
his time in a better manner to assist in the administration of justice. The
contempt petition is dismissed."

7. The contemner has since filed an application for recall of the above order
and for deciding the criminal contempt petition On merits. In the affidavit
accompanying this application, it is stated that if all matters are not decided
on merits. the contemner would be compelled to observe continuous hunger strike
from 25.9.1996. A copy of the application to the President of India for
permission to prosecute Hon'ble Dr. Justice A.S. Anand and Hon'ble Mr. Justice
M.K. Mukherjee, for their behaviour in Court on 15.12.1995, as also two months
notice to the President, were filed with this application.

8. The Contempt Petition No. 2/96 in SLP (Crl.) No. 4114/96 was taken up on
9.8.96 in which the following order was passed by Hon'ble Dr. Justice A.S. Anand
and Hon'ble Mr. Justice Mukherjee.

"On 20.2.1996, we directed a rule to be issued to the applicant asking him
to show Cause why he Should not be punished for committing criminal contempt of
the court for use of objectionable language in the SLP and the application. He
was given eight weeks time to file his reply to the rule, through these two
applications, the applicant seeks recall/review of the order dated 20.2.1996
passed in SLP (Crl) 819- 820 of 1996 which were dismissed by this court and of
the rule issued to him. We do not find any reason to recall or review that
order. There is no merit in these applications which also bristle with
scandalous remarks and are couched in objectionable language. The criminal
miscellaneous petitions filed by the applicant on 24.2.96

are, there dismissed."

In our order dated 20.2.1996, we had directed issuance of rule and to
number the contempt proceedings against the applicant separately. Those have
since been numbered as criminal contempt petition No. 2 of 1996.

The prayer of the applicant to transfer the case to 'another bench' as he
does not "wish to appear before this Bench apart from being itself contumacious
is rejected because a litigant cannot be permitted forum shopping. The case
stands assigned to this Bench. Since the applicant has not filed his reply to
the notice to show cause why he should not be punished for committing criminal
contempt of court, we, as a matter of indulgence, grant him another opportunity
to file the reply if any, within six weeks. List the matter for further
proceedings and hearing on 27.9.1996. The alleged contemner Ajay Kumar Pandey,
who is present in court has been informed of the date of hearing is directed to
remain present on the Next date of hearing, i.e. 27.9.1996, whether or not he
files his reply to the show cause notice . No fresh notice shall be issued to
him for his appearance.

Since Shri Dipanker Gupta has resigned, the Solicitor General of India is
requested to assist the court in the contempt proceedings either himself or by
nominating any other law officer."

9. The petitioner subsequently moved an application dated 12.8.96 for recall of
the aforesaid order at the end of which he put a 'note' as under: "if this
Hon'ble court would not hear and decide the matter on their merits then the
petitioner will be compelled to observe the continuous hunger strike in Supreme
court premises since 25.9.96."

10. In this application he indicated that he had already given to the President
of India an application, dated 19.12.95 in which he, inter alia, stated as under
:- "Thereafter, they harassed, compelled and threatened me for withdrawing the
petitions or removing all things and filing the fresh petitions and also did not
allow me to submit the arguments although the matter was fresh and two petitions
had to dispose of finally according to the settled law and passed an order in
hasty manner to this effect, "The petitioner will remove all the allegations
from petitions and file the fresh petitions and thereafter the matter will, be
listed after 8 weeks otherwise the contempt proceedings be drawn against him
etc."

Thereafter I again mentioned the matter at 2 P.M. and clearly said, "I am
not in d position to remove anything and file the fresh petitions and my
petitions may be heard immediately as it is because I wrote only facts and made
the grounds according to the Indian penal Code, Contempt of Courts Act, Evidence
Act and Constitution, etc." but they without saying retired to their chambers.
Then I immediately moved an application in the Registry of the court and
clearly- said about each and everything and also said, "I am not in a position
to remove anything and the Court is bound to hear the same and decide the same
according to Law and settled norms of justice."

I am bringing the facts in the knowledge of your excellency that the
Supreme Court has heard the contempt petitions against many citizens of the
country i.e. Advocates. Bureaucrats, Leaders and Police officer, etc. and has
punished them but when I filed the contempt petitions against some corrupt
people who had defrauded and cheated me and destroyed/fabricated, some judicial
records to conceal their nefarious acts by exercising their Judicial powers then
Mr Justice A.S. Anand and Mr. justice M.K. Mukherjee harassed, compelled and
threatened me in open. Court and also did not allow me to submit the arguments
and even they had gone in saying that they would see me and forfeit my license
advocasy despite the fact that I have been appearing in person and the matter
had no connection with my profession or professional capacity.

I am saying with great sorrow and the matter is also very serious that the
above two Judges consider them selves the load paramount/ almighty and attacked
at a human being/litigant and also threatened a young advocate/boy although, the
god is one and only who makes everybody either he is king or ordinary man and
every human being is also equal along with equality before law and the court
bound (the paramount duty) to hear the case as it is despite the fact that who
is O.P. (King or judge or ordinary man), but it is very unfortunate and
horrendous that the above two judges have fully forgotten that the God is seeing
the acts of everybody by his spiritual eyes and almighty lives in every soul and
attacking on any people is amounted to insult the God.

I am also saying that the both judges broke the decorum of the court.
dismantled the temple of justice and thus embarrassed the goddess of justice.
Their hurling upon me is attack at the human dignity, and fundamental and legal
rights of a honest and genuine litigant and also restraining a poor litigant to
pursue his case and obstruction in the way of justice/holy streem of justice. I
am requesting to your excellency that being the head of the nation/the highest
constitutional authority, kindly suggest Mr. Justice A.S. Anand and Mr. justice
Mr. M.K. Mukherjee of the Supreme court to feel sorry before me for their highly
objectionable behaviour with me on 15-12-95 otherwise I will be at liberty to
take any action according to law and in that case the whole world will see the
power of truth/dharma and they will be responsible no I."

11. This application was given to the President of India for sanction to
prosecute the two Judges (Hon'ble Dr. justice A.S. Anand and Hon'ble Mr. justice
M.K. Mukherjee for offences under Section 167, 504 and 506 IPC with two months'
notice to the President indicating therein that if the sanction was not granted
within two months, it shall be deemed to have been granted.

12. He further stated in para 5 and 6 of the application as under:-

"5. That the petitioner had received the letter dt. 11-3-96 and no. P1-999
from the Rashtrapati Bhavan and according to that his excellency sought the
opinion of the ministry of the law and justice in the matter. The copy of letter
dt. 11-3-96 is annexed as annexure no.3 to this application for the perusal of
this hon'ble Court.

6. That on the expiry of two months from 1-3-96 i.e. from the date of
notice to his excellency, the petitioner had obtained the formal sanction under
section 197 to prosecute Mr. A.S. Anand and Mr. M.K. Mukherjee."

13. He ultimately prayed as under:- "It is, therefore, most respectfully prayed
that this hon'ble Court may graciously be pleased to recall the order dated
9-8-96 passed in the case mentioned above and hear all the matters immediately
by constituting a larger bench/Constitutional bench otherwise great injury would
be caused to the applicants.

14. The contemner, thereafter, filed on 23.9.96 Compalint Case No. 122/1 of 1996
in the Court of Shri Nepal Singh, A.C.M.M., New Delhi against Hon'ble Mr.
Justice A.S. Anand and Hon'ble Mr. Justice M.K. Mukherjee for offences under
Section 167, 504 and 506 IPC. In this complaint, it was stated by the contemner
as under: "l. That the Complainant had filed S.L.P. (Crl.) No. 4114/95 and Cr.
M.P.No. 6242-43/95 along with Cri. Contempt petitions/Diary No. 16199, 17021 and
17022/95 in the supreme court of India in the month of October/November, 95 and
they were first come up for hearing on 4.12.95 before the court No.2 of the apex
court and the bench concerned after some time hearing ordered ton this effect,
'List these matters before some other bench'.

2. That thereupon the petitions had come up for hearing on 15th day of
December, 95, before the Court No.9 at serial No.28 & 42 and on that day the
accuseds were on the bench there .

3. That on the calling of the matter on that day, the Complainant who
reached from Lucknow, stood before the Court but as soon as he stood the
accuseds without any authority, basis, immoraly and illegaly hurled upon him
with highly derogatory, insulting, offending and threatening remarks with the
following sentences:-

The accused No. 1 hurled, "You

filed the petitions against the high Court Judge etc. You will withdraw
your petitions otherwise we with take action against you and start the contempt
proceedings." The Complainant requested, 'Let me argue', then the accused No.1
again hurled, "we will send you in jail otherwise withdraw the petitions or
remove all thing for the petitions and file the first petitions." The
complainant refused to comply with their illegal and offending directions and
again said, Let me argue." Then the accused no.2 hurled upon the Complainant in
a highly objectionable manner, "You do the practise in Lucknow, you understand
yourself very competent and intelligent, you abused your professional privilege,
we will see you and forfeit your licence. the complaint again prayed, 'submit me
arguments'. "we will not allow you ton submit the arguments on the points which
you raised and give the chance to the audience to near some otherwise everybody
will know the matter".

15. In para 4 of the complaint, the contemner reproduced the Order passed by
Hon'ble Dr. justice A.S. Anand and Hon'ble Mr. justice M.K. Mukherjee as under:-

4. That thereafter the accuseds passed the followings order in a hasty
manner :-

"In all the petitions, we find

that attack in indecent, wild, intemperate, and even abusive language on
the name Judges has beer, made at various places in each one Of the petitions.
The petitioner, who is an advocate, has permitted himself the liberty of using
such expression, which prima facie tend to scandalize the Court in relation to
judicial matters and thus have the tendency to interfere with the administration
of the justice. We are inclined to initiate contempt proceedings against the
petitioner, but On his request grant him 6 weeks time to delete all the
objectionable expressions used in the petitions and file the fresh petitions. He
shall also remove other defects, as pointed out in the office report when he
file the fresh petitions. If the fresh petitions are filed, the same shall be
listed after eight weeks . Otherwise, these petitions shall be put UP for
drawing up contempt proceeding against the petitioner after eight weeks."

16. In paras 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 of the complaint, it was stated:

"5. That on the such goondaism of the accuseds; the Complainant left the
Court room and again he gone there at 2 P.M. and mentioned and also tried to
give in writing, "I am not in a position, to remove and thing and file the fresh
petitions and my petitions be heard as it is immediately because I wrote only
the truth but the accuseds retired to their Chambers without saying anything. It
is the most important to mention here that the Complainant never prayed to grant
6 weeks time for removing any thing from the petitions, filing fresh case and
the accuseds dictated the orders in this regard by their own falsely, only with
the sole motive to waste the money and valuable time of the complainant; any how
harass him coupled with hide the sins/corruption of their

subordinate people.

6. That thereafter the complainant had immediately moved an application No.
132/95 in the registry of the apex Court and clearly said about his harassment
by the accuseds and their open goondaism and also prayed for hearing of his
petitions as it is and decide the same according to the settled norms of
justice.

7. That the complainant also informed the hon'ble President of India about
the goondaism of the accuseds through registered letter No. 162 and dt. 21.12.95
along with copies to Hon'ble the vice President of India/Chief justice of India
through the certificate of posting.

8. That since the acts of the accuseds were the offences as per the mandate
and by virtue of the Indian Penal Code so an application under section 197 of
Cr. P.C. along with two months specific notice to accord the sanction to
prosecute the accuseds under sections 167,500,504 and 506 of IPC had also been
sent to his excellency vide registered post receipt no. C-2174 and dated 2.3.96.
It is the most important to mention here again that although the offences as
stated in proceedings para don't come in money manner whatsoever within the
judicial acts/never did while the accuseds had been discharging their judicial
duties but inspite of this facts and for saving any future complication in the
matter, the complainant filed the application before Hon'ble the President and
requested his excellency to decide the matter in two months from the date of
notice.

9. That in response to the above notice/application the complainant had
received a letter dated 11.3.96 and no. P1-999 from the Rashtrapati Bhavan and
according to the contents of the same his excellency sought the opinion of the
Ministry of Law and Justice in the matter. The said letter was received I by the
complainant in the third week of March 1996 .

10. That the complainant had also given, registered notice to the accuseds
to tender unconditional, apology in writing to him for their misdeeds or,
15.,2.95 and gave him one month time for making the unconditional apology from
the date of notice. The registered notices were sent to both the accuseds on
10.8.96 vide registered letter no. 2888 and 2389 dt. 10.8.96 but they did not
think fit and proper/necessary to response the notices and tender the

unconditional apology

however served on 12.8.96.

11. That the accuseds committed the offences as contemplated in the Indian
Penal Code and liable to be dealt with strictly, and exemplory otherwise it will
be licensed to the judicial goondaism and the Courts/law would have become the
instrumentality of the people like the accuseds and so the interest of the
litigants will be jeopardised which is not permissible in law."

17. He made the following prayer in the complaint: "It is therefore, most

respectfully prayed that this Hon'ble Court may graciously be pleased to
take the cognizance of the above mentioned offences and punish the accuseds
deterrently and severely under the above stated circumstances and facts
alongwith pass other necessary orders in the matter and for which act of
kindness the complainant shall ever pray as in duty bound."

18. A copy of this complaint was filed by the petitioner himself on 24.9.96
before the Registrar in Criminal Contempt Case NO. 2/96. In his letter addressed
to the Registrar, he stated as under:

"I filed some papers in the

cases mentioned above and the same are the important documents. Since the
matter is listed in court on 27.9.96 so the papers be circulated for the perusal
of the hon'ble court and read as part of the petitions."

19. As stated by the contemner himself in his aforesaid complaint, he had issued
a notice dated 10.8.96 to both the learned judges in which he, inter alia,
stated as under:-

"2. That there after the above petitions had been listed before the court
No.9 on 15-12-95 and both of you were on the Bench. On the calling of the matter
on that day, i who reached form Lucknow, as soon as stood before the court to
argue, then both of you without any authority, basis immoraly and illegaly
hurled upon me with highly derogatory, insulting, offending and contemptuous
remarks with the following sentences:-

The addressee number 1 hurled, "you filed the petitions against the high
court judge etc. You will withdraw your petitions otherwise we will take action
against you and start the contempt proceedings." I requested, "Let me argue".
You addressee no.1 hurled, "we will send you in jail otherwise withdraw the
petitions or remove all things form the petitions and file fresh petitions." I
refused to do so and said, Let me argue." Then you the addressee no.2 hurled
upon me in a highly objectionable manner, "you do the practise in Lucknow, you
understand yourself very competent and intelligent, you abused your professional
privilege, we will see you and forfeit your licence," then I gain prayed,
"submit me arguments," then you addressee no.1 again hurled, we will not allow
you to submit the argument on the points which you raised and give the chance to
the audience to hear the same otherwise everybody will know matter."

4. That on the above happening I left the Court room and again had gone
there at 2 p.m. and mentioned and also tried to give in writing, I am not in a
position to remove any thing and file the fresh petitions and my petitions be
heard as it is immediately because I wrote only the truth but both of you
without saying anything retired to your chambers. It is the most important to
mention here that I had never prayed to grant six weeks time for removing
anything from the petitions, filing the fresh petitions and you dictated

absolutely false in your order in this regard only with the sole motive the
waste the money and valuable time of the petitioner and any how harass me
alongwith hide the corruption, fraud, cheating and forgery etc. in a short word,
'since' of the people who are the contemnors in the above said petitions."

20. In paras 5, 6 and 7 he, Inter alia, stated as under:

"5. But I am also warning you that the said application was moved before
his excellency. only to avoid any future complication in the matter otherwise
according to the settled law VIZ. judicial precedents, as you also know very
well, the acts mentioned in paras 2 and 3 of this notice were your personal acts
and neither come in the definition of the official acts nor were come in your
Judicial duties render- ed by you . As you know very well and according to the
Indian penal Code, your acts were offences according to Sections 167, 500, 504
and 506 and due to your falsity, I suffered from a heavy financial loss.

6. That it is not worthy that due to your Falsity I suffered from the loss
of Rupees two thousand (2000/- ) for appearing on that day in the case so I also
entitled for the compensation from you.

7. That I am warning you that from the date Of this notice, both of you
tender unconditional written apology to me for your offences on 15.12.1995 in
the Court No. 9 of the Supreme Court of India coupled with the compensation of
Rupees two thousand (2000/-) and a handsome amount for my mental harrassment.
The written apology alongwith compensation be paid by you in a month from the
date of this notice otherwise i will be compelled to initiate the criminal
proceedings against you in the competent criminal court and you will be
responsible for all cost and consequences.

21. The aforesaid notice constitutes the basis of Contempt Petition (Crl.) No.
55/96 while the complaint filed by the contemner against the two Hon'ble Judges
of this Court is the basis of Contempt Petition (Crl.) No. 56/96.

22. The notice issued to as also the complaint subsequently filed against the
two Hon'ble Judges of this Court were placed before Hon'ble the Chief Justice of
India who directed the same to be placed before the Court. That is how these
matters have come before us.

23. The aforesaid notice dated 10.8.96 issued by the contemner to the two
Hon'ble Judges calling upon them to tender unconditional written apology to him
and also to pay compensations was placed with the office report dated 12.9.96
before the Court when the following order was passed on 16.9.96:

"Mr. Ajay Kumar Pandey, Advocate, C-2230, Indira Nagar, Lucknow - 225016
has sent registered letters dated August 10, 1996 to the Hon'ble Judges of this
Court. The language and the tenor of the letter prima facie amounts to
scandalising and lowering the authority of this Court . We issue contempt notice
to Mr. Pandey, returnable on 30th September, 1996. He may show cause why he be
not held guilty of the contempt of court and punished suitably . Registry to
serve the respondent through the Additional Registrar of the Lucknow Bench of
Allahabad High Court . Mr. Pandey shall be personally present in Court on 30th
September, 1996 at 10.30 P.M."

24. When the matter was taken up on 30.9.1999, the following order was passed :

"Mr. Ajay Kumar Pandey,

advocate, the contemnor is present before us. Initially, he had refused to
accept summons of this Court but later on he himself contacted the Registry of
this Court on September 27, 1996 and obtained the summons. Apart from derogatory
and scandalous language written in the letter addressed to two Hon'ble Judges of
this Court he also threatened them that he would file criminal complaints
against them. He has as a matter of fact filed complaint case No. 122/1/96 on
September 23, 1996. The contents of the complaint in totality, relate to the
proceedings conducted in Court No. 9 or this Court. The complaint is full of
scandalous and abusive language. We issue notice to Ajay K. Pandey why he should
not be held guilty of contempt of court and be punished suitably tor filling
this

scandalous complaint before Mr. Nepal Singh, Additional Chief Metropolitan
Magistrate. We take suo moto. Notice of the complaint filed before the A.C.M.M.
The complaint is wholly frivolous and amounts to the abuse of the abuse of the
Court. We quash the complaint. We are told that the A.C.M.M. has further marked
that complaint to Ms. Renu Bhatnagar, Metropolitan Magistrate who has fixed the
date some time in March, 1997. We quash the complaint and the proceedings before
Ms. Renu Bhatnagar, M.M. Mr. Ajay K. Pandey, standing before us, has fairly
stated that he has no objection to the quashing of the complaint. We are further
of the view that A.C.M.M. and M.M. who have dealt with this complaint have acted
without any Application of mind. It seems that they have not even read the
contents of the complaint. We issue notice to both of them to show cause why
contempt proceedings be not initiated against them.

Mr. Pandey may file his reply

within one week from today in this Court in both the contempt petitions. He
may file all the documents affidavits of himself or of any other person he
wishes to file in support of his defence along with the reply. The contempt
petitions shall be heard on 10.10.96 at 10.30 A.M.

On our suggestion, Mr. Pandey

states that he would not mind having the assistance of a counsel. Mr. Mukul
Mudgal, learned counsel present in Court states that he would request Ms. Manju
Goel, Secretary, Supreme Court Legal Services Committee to assign a counsel to
assist this Court on behalf of the contemnor. We request Mr. G.L. Sanghi,
learned senior counsel to assist this Court. A sea of papers be sent to Mr. G.L.
Sanghi, learned counsel.

The matter regarding contempt

notice to Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate and Metropolitan
Magistrates be listed on 30.10.1996. They shall be personally present in Court.

25. Separate notices for contempt were issued to the two Magistrates, who are
being dealt with separately.

26. When the matter was taken up on 10.10.1936, the contemner filed unqualified
and unconditional apology to the following effect :

"I Ajay Kumar Pandey, Advocate the Respondent contemner herein do hereby
tender my unqualified and unconditional apology to this Hon'ble Court for
addressing registered letters dated 10.8.1996 to two Hon'ble Judges of this
Hon'ble Court for the language and contents the Said letters for filling a
criminal complaint dated 23.9.1996 in the court of Additional Chief Metropolitan
Magistrate New Delhi against two Hon'ble judges of this Hon'ble Court and for
the language and contents of the said complaint. I respectfully submit that
these actions of mine and the language used by me in relation to the Judges of
this Hon'ble Court were as a result of my losing control over myself for which I
am genuinely repentant. I humbly seek forgiveness from this Hon'ble Court and
pray to this Hon'ble Court to accept my apology and show mercy on me. I
undertake not to repeat such conduct in the future."

27. The Court, however, passed the following order on that date:

"we have heard Mr. Raju

Ramachandran. On our request he appearing for the contemnor, A.K. Pandey.
We have also heard Mr. G.L. Sanghi, who on our request is appearing to assist
the Court. We have also heard Mr. A.K. Pandey. Initially Mr. Pandey stated that
he could not file reply because tile Registry declined to permit him to inspect
all the records. We placed the records before him and permitted him to examine
the same. Mr. Pandey who is present in Court states that he does not want to
inspect the records. Mr. Pandey has filed unqualified and unconditional apology.
This may be taken on record.

We adjourn the hearing of this

case to October 30, 1996. Meanwhile, Mr. Pandey may file his reply to the
Contempt Petition if he so wish. The application and the apology Which are
already on the record shall be taken into consideration on the next date of
hearing. The contemnor to be present in Court on October 30 1996.

28. On 30.10.1996 when the case was next taken Up, the Court passed the
following order: "Mr. Arun Jaitley, Sr.

Advocate, represent Mr. Nepal Singh, Additional Chief

Metropolitan, Magistrate and Ms. Renu Bhatnagar, Metropolitan Magistrate is
represented by Mr. Rajiv Garg, Advocate. both the contemners are present in
Court. To enable them to file affidavits in reply to the contempt notice, we
adjourn the hearing to 4th November 1996. is meanwhile, we direct Registrar of
Delhi High Court to send the personal files of these two officers to this court.
We are told that Justice J.K. Mehra and Justice S.N. Kapoor are the inspecting
Judges so far as these two judicial officers are concerned. We would request
Hon'ble Judges to give their comments regarding these two offices. The earlier
orders of this Court in this case may also be sent to the Registry Of the Delhi
High Court. To come Up On 4th November, 1996 . Orders to be pronounced on 4th

November, 1996 in respect of Mr. Ajay Kumar Pandey."

29. The background facts set out above would indicate that the contemner is a
practising Advocate who himself had filed criminal complaint against a brother
advocate (Mr. Mahesh Giri) and Ms. Saroj Bala who was a member of the lower
judiciary posted as VII Addl. District Judge at Lucknow, after giving them a
notice demanding compensation for having defamed him by publicly saying that he
had sexual relations with one of them, namely, Ms. Saroj Bala. This complaint
was dismissed at the initial stage as indicated in the earlier part of this
judgment, but he raised a number of controversies, including a demand for
enquiry to be set up by the then District Judge, Lucknow, Mr. J.C. Mishra, who
is now a sitting Judge of the Allahabad High Court. The contemner filed a
Revision before the High Court against the order by which his complaint was
dismissed and the application for summoning the witnesses through court process
was rejected. This revision, as pointed out earlier, was dismissed by Mr.
Justice Virendra Saran. In the Special Leave Petition filed against that
judgment, the contemner has criticised Justice Virendra Saran in intemperate
language and termed his judgment as forged and fictitious, besides imputing bad
motive.

30. When this Court noticed the scandalous and even abusive language by the
contemner used against Mr. Virendra Saran and other officers of the judiciary,
it required the contemner to delete those sentences or portions and/or file a
fresh petition. Not satisfied, the contemner moved an application for recall of
the order and in that application he again used intemperate language and
thereafter started making efforts to avoid the Court (Hon'ble Anand and
Mukherjee,) and for this purpose, he adopted derogatory and bad tactics. He gave
notice to the two Hon'ble Judges seeking unconditional apology from them or
their conduct and behaviour in the Court and also demanded compensation from
them. He wrote to the President of India for sanction to prosecute the Hon'ble
judges for offences under sections

167. 500, 504 and 506 IPC giving two months time to the President to grant
sanction or else he would treat the sanction to have been granted to him. he
also threatened to go on hunger strike before the Supreme Court with effect from
25.9.1996. He then filed a complaint against the Hon'ble Judges branding their
conduct as "goondaism". He pleaded for his case to be listed before some other
Bench or to be referred to the Constitution Bench on the ground that both the
Hon'ble Judges were personally involved in the case and, therefore, they need
not hear the matter, but he was unsuccessful.

31. This Court, as the highest court of the land, has not only the right to
protect itself from being denigrated, but has also the right jurisdiction and
authority to protect the High Courts and the subordinate courts from being
insulted, abused or in any other way denigrated. All the courts, be they the
lower or the highest function for the noble cause of dispensing justice. Since
they have to decide litigation between two contesting parties. it is obvious
that they have to have full freedom and independence in settling the litigation.
The Presiding officers who run the courts and conduct the proceedings therein
have to act fearlessly. Any action on the part of any person or litigant or
lawyer, which tends to interfere or obstruct the process of justice, has to be
deprecated so that the proceeding may be held in an orderly fashion and everyone
who participates in those proceedings may have the feeling of liberty to address
the court for proper ad adjudication of his case.

32. An Advocate, as a citizen of this country, has the fundamental right of
freedom of expression and speech under Article 19 of the Constitution. This
right is also guaranteed to him under the Advocates Act. Apart from that the
legal profession has the inherent right to express itself in the best manner
possible in uninhibited language, but the right to express also carries with it
the duty to be dignified in the use of expression and to maintain decorum and
peace in the court proceedings.

33. In Dr. D.C. Saxena vs. Hon'ble the Chief Justice of India (1996) 5 SCC 216,
this court observed, inter alia, as under,:

" Advocacy touches and asserts

the primary value of freedom Of expression. It is practical manifestation
of the principle of freedom of speech. Freedom of expression in Arguments
encourages the development of judicial dignity, forensic skills of advocacy and
enable protection of fraternity, equality and justice. It plays its part in
helping to secure the protection of other fundamental human rights. freedom of
expression therefore is one of the basic conditions for the progress of advocacy
and for the development of every man including legal fraternity practising the
profession of law. Freedom of expression, therefore, is vital to the maintenance
of free society. It is essential to the rule of law and liberty of the citizens.
The advocate or the party appearing in person, therefore, is given liberty of
expression. But they equally owe countervailing duty to maintain dignity,
decorum and order in the court proceedings or judicial process. The liberty of
free expression is not to be confounded or confused with licence to make
unfounded allegations against any institution, much less the judiciary."

34. It was further observed in that above case as under : "Scandalising the
court would mean hostile criticism of judges as judges or judiciary. Any
personal attack on a judge in connection with the office he holds is dealt with
under law of libel or slander. Yet defamatory publication concerning the judge
as a judge brings the court or judges into contempt a serious impediment to
justice and an inroad on the majesty of justice. Any caricature of a judge
calculated to lower the dignity of court would destroy, undermine or tend to
undermine public confidence in the administration of justice or the majesty of
justice. It would, therefore , be scandalising the judge as a judge, in other
words, imputing partiality, corruption, bias, improper motives to a judge is
scandalisation of the court and would be contempt of the court. Even imputation
of lack of impartiality of fairness to a judge in the discharge of his official
duties amounts to contempt. The gravamen of the offence is that of lowering his
dignity or authority or an affront to the majesty of justice. When the contemnor

challenges the authority of the court, he interferes with the performance
of duties of judge's office or judicial process or administration of justice or
generation or production of tendency bringing the judge or judiciary into
contempt."

35. In the present case, we are concerned with the notice issued by the
contemner to the two Hon'ble judges demanding apology and compensation and the
subsequent complaint filed by him in the court of A.C.M.M., Delhi, and the
contents thereof. The notice relates to the proceedings Of The court on
15.12.1995. It is said that both the judges without any authority, basis,
immorally and illegally hurled upon "me" with highly derogatory, insulting,
offending and contemptuous remarks."

36. After setting out what the Judges allegedly said, it is mentioned in the
notice as under: "It is the most important to mention here that I had never
prayed to grant six weeks time for removing anything, from the petitions,
filling the fresh Petitions and you dictated

absolutely false in your order in this regard only with the sole motive to
waste the money and valuable time of the petitioner and any how harass me
alongwith hide the corruption, fraud, cheating and forgery etc. in a short word,
sins'.

37. The notice also mentions his application to the President of India for
sanction and in it he held out a threat to the two Hon'ble judges that if they
did not fender unconditional written apology to him he would initiate criminal
proceedings in the competent criminal court.

38. The criminal contempt is defined in Section 2(c) of the contempt of courts
act, 1971 as under : "2(c) " criminal contempt" means the publication (whether
by words, spoken or written, or by signs, or by visible representation, or
otherwise) of any matter or the doing of any other act whatsoever." According to
the definition reproduced above, the first pre- condition is the publication or
doing of any other act and the second is that the publication or doing of the
act has resulted in the consequences set out in Section 2(c) (i) (ii) and (iii),
namely :

(i) scandalizes of tends to scandalize, or lowers or tends to lower the
authority of, any court; or

(ii) prejudices, or interferes or tends to interfere with, the due course
of any judicial proceeding; or

(iii) interferes or tends to interfere with, or obstructs or tends to
obstruct, the administration of justice in any other manner."

39. In view of the definition, the contemptuous conduct may be either due to the
publication or consist in the doing of any other act.

40. In Delhi Judicial Service Association vs. State of Gujarat & Ors. (1991) 4
SCC 406, it was observed by this Court that :

"....The definition of criminal contempt is wide enough to include any act
by a person which would tend to interfere with the administration of justice or
which would lower the authority of court. The public have a vital stake in
effective and orderly

administration of justice. The court has the duty of protecting the
interest of the community in the due administration of justice and, so, it is
entrusted with the power to commit for contempt of court, not to protect the
dignity of the court against insult or injury, but, to protect and to vindicate
the right of the public so that the administration justice is not perverted,
prejudiced, obstructed or interfered with."

41. In Dr. D.C. Saxena's case (supra), this Court has already laid down that if
a Judge, on account of the proceedings conducted by him in his court, is
threatened that he would be prosecuted in a court of law for the judicial act
done by him, it amounts to criminal contempt as it lowers and tends to lower the
dignity of the court.

42. We are also of the same opinion. We may observe that any threat of filing a
complaint against the Judge in respect of the judicial proceedings conducted by
him in his own court is a positive attempt to interfere with the due course of
administration of justice. In order that the Judges may fearlessly and
independently act in the discharge of their judicial functions, it is necessary
that they should have full liberty to act within the sphere of their activity.
If, however, litigants and their counsel start threatening the Judge or launch
prosecution against him for what he has honestly and bona fide done in his
court, the judicial independence would vanish eroding the very edifice on which
the institution of justice stands. It would also be in violation of the
statutory protection available to the Judges and Magistrates under the Judicial
Officers (Protection) Act as also the Judges (Protection) Act.

43. Having seen the entire record, we are fully satisfied that the contemner, by
questioning the conduct of the Judges through his notice and demanding apology
and compensation from them as also the complaint lodged against them especially
in the language employed by him, is guilty of the "criminal contempt" and is
liable to be punished therefor in both the case.

44. In relation to the quantum of punishment we may observe that the contemner,
who is a practising advocate and is young in age, had on 10.10.1996, tendered
before us an unconditional and unqualified apology in writing, withdrawing all
the Objectionable remarks sentences and words used by him in the application,
notice and complaint and had expressed his regrets. The Court, however, is not
bound to accept the apology unless there is real feeling of repentance in the
contemner. The contemner had already been given an opportunity at the initial
stage by both the learned Judges to withdraw his remarks against a Judge of the
Allahabad High Court and other officers or the lower judiciary, but he insisted
to proceed with the case. He even initiated contempt proceedings against both
the Hon'ble Judges. But this Court took a lenient view and instead of initiating
any other action against him, dismissed the criminal contempt petition by order
dated 5.8.1996, passed by Hon'ble J.S. Verma and hon'ble B.N. Kirpal, JJ.

45. The jurisdiction of this Court under Article 129 of the Constitution is
independent of the Contempt of Courts Act and the power under Article 129 cannot
be denuded restricted or limited by the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971. Thus there
is no restriction or limitation on the nature of punishment that this Court may
award while exercising its contempt jurisdiction. But we do not intend to travel
far and beyond.

46. Having convicted the contemner for obstructing the course of justice by
trying to threaten and overawe the Court by using insulting and disrespectful
language and issuing notices and also launching criminal prosecution when the
allotments were first made to them. Since we laid down the law for the first
time, we have not interfered with the direction of the High Court but suitably
was modified. This direction, therefore, will not be used as a precedent.
Appeals arising out of SLP (C) Nos. 20857/93, 20936/93 and CC No. 25107/94 are
disposed of accordingly. Appeals arising out of SLP (C) No. 2492/90, Which is by
Shanti Swaroop against the judgment of the High Court in A.K. Garg and connected
cases is, however, dismissed. There would be no order as to costs.