SC Rejects Hearing On Plea Of Jailed Judge CS Karnan Seeking Bail:- Seeking bail and recall of the order convicting him for contempt of court, the Supreme Court rejected to accord urgent hearing on a plea of former Calcutta High Court Judge, Justice CS Karnan (62).

In pursuance of the apex court’s judgment, Karnan who was arrested on June 20, was awarded a six-month jail term for contempt of court. The former Calcutta HC judge, has requested urgent listing of his petition seeking bail and setting aside of his conviction.

A bench comprising Chief Justice JS Khehar and Justice DY Chandrachud said, “Declined. We will not accept an oral request against the judgment.” Advocate Mathews J Nedumpara, representing Justice Karnan, said that he has been serving the jail term and his petition needs to be heard on an urgent basis.

A vacation bench of the apex court, on June 21, had refused to entertain the plea of the arrested ex-high court judge saying it “cannot override” the seven-judge bench order in the case.

Karnan who retired on June 12 as the Calcutta High Court judge, was arrested on June 20 by the West Bengal CID. He had been in Coimbatore since May 9 when the apex court held him guilty for contempt of court and sentenced him to six months imprisonment. The former Calcutta HC Judge, is the first sitting HC judge, to be awarded a jail term by the apex court and the first to have retired as a fugitive.

On May 9, the West Bengal director general of police was directed by a seven-judge bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Chief Justice of India JS Khehar, to take the then serving judge into custody immediately. Despite several attempts, Karnan has failed to get any relief from the apex court’s vacation benches which has refused to hear his plea seeking a stay of its jail term order.

SUPRAJA