Supreme Court issues bailable warrant against Calcutta HC judge Justice CS Karnan

New Delhi: In an unprecedented move, the Supreme Court on Friday issued a bailable warrant against Justice CS Karnan, a sitting judge of the Calcutta high court, in a contempt case against him.

The order was passed by a seven-judge bench headed by Chief Justice JS Khehar.

Earlier, Calcutta High Court's controversial judge Justice did not appear before the apex court which had sought his physical presence to show cause as to why suo motu contempt proceedings should not be initiated against him

The top court had issued a contempt notice to a Justice Karnan for writing letters casting aspersions on several judges.

Besides Chief Justice Khehar, other judges on the bench are Justice Dipak Misra, Justice J. Chelameswar, Justices Ranjan Gogoi, Justice Madan B. Lokur, Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose and Justice Kurian Joseph.

The issuance of contempt notice to Justice Karnan assumes significance as it is for the first time in the history of the Supreme Court that it has invoked powers to initiate contempt proceedings against a sitting judge of a High Court.

In the earlier proceedings, the bench also took on record Justice Karnan's recent letter to the Registrar General of the apex court on February 10 after issuance of the show cause notice.

Justice Karnan had reportedly played the Dalit card in the fresh communication and asked the Supreme Court to refer the matter to Parliament, contending that the contempt proceedings were "not sustainable".

The apex court had also turned the alleged open contemptuous letters written by Justice Karnan against the Madras HC Chief Justice, addressed to the CJI, Prime Minister and others, into contempt proceedings against him.

Justice Karnan had also stayed the top court collegium's decision transferring him from Madras High Court to Calcutta High Court.