Justice Karnan skips Supreme Court appearance, given three more weeks to do so

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday extended the deadline for Justice CS Karnan, a sitting judge of the Calcutta High Court, to personally appear before the apex court in a contempt case against him.

A seven-judge bench of the apex court led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) JS Khehar granted three weeks to Karnan to appear before the court and to reply to show cause notice issued by it.At its previous hearing, the Supreme Court had directed Karnan to appear before the court in person in connection with suo motu contempt proceedings.

But on Monday, neither he nor his lawyer presented themselves before it. This is the first time ever that a sitting High Court judge faces a contempt case.

Last Wednesday in an unprecedented move, the apex court had invoked its powers to initiate contempt proceedings against him, for writing letters casting aspersions on several judges. Justice Karnan has been accused of circulation of disparaging letters against sitting High Court judges of the Madras High Court, and he has also allegedly written about Supreme Court judges in his letters to the Prime Minister`s Office.

Asking Justice Karnan to appear in person on February 13th, a seven-judge constitution bench, headed by CJI Khehar and six other judges directed that Justice Karnan would not discharge any judicial and administrative functions during the pendency of the proceedings.