Bailable warrant against HC Judge Karnan

Kolkata High court judge ,C.S. Karnan did the unthinkable today. After being served a stunning bailable warrant for not attending the contempt case against him( which was filed by SC for alleging corruption on 7 Supreme court judges), he called a press conference at his Kolkata residence and announced his resolve to fight. Justice Karnan called the warrant “unconstitutional” and said he was being targeted because he is a Dalit.

Targeted because I am a Dalit

This is the first time in the India’s judicial history that a sitting judge of a High court has been served a bailable warrant by a seven judge bench. The Bench comprises Justices Misra, J. Chelameswar, Ranjan Gogoi, Madan B. Lokur, P.C. Ghose and Kurian Joseph along with the Chief Justice, J.S.Khehar. It was for his alleged negative remarks against High Court and Supreme Court judges calculated to “lower the dignity of the judicial institution”.

Karnan however alleged that it was a caste bias towards him as he was a Dalit. He also plans to ask the President to intervene in this matter. An order was also passed by Justice Karnan, admitting a petition filed by a lawyer in the Calcutta High Court seeking an enquiry into the allegations in the suicide note of former Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Kalikho Pul against Supreme court judges.

Incidentally Karnan is the same HC judge in Chennai who had passed a most progressive judgement in 2013, legitimising 2 children born out of wedlock by stating that “that if the sexual relationship between a man and a woman is consummated, they become husband and wife, even though they may not be legally married.”