The Madhya Pradesh High Court has taken a firm stance against attempts to bypass personal appearance in a criminal contempt case involving ruling BJP MLA and mining baron Sanjay Pathak. On Thursday, a division bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva and Justice Vinay Saraf rejected a plea from Pathak seeking exemption from attending the next scheduled hearing.
The legislator, who was present in court for over two hours awaiting his turn, sought the exemption for a follow-up appearance on July 15. His legal counsel argued that his “busy schedule” as an MLA necessitated his absence, but the bench remained unmoved, upholding the requirement for his personal presence.
The legal proceedings stem from a high-profile incident last September involving allegations of illegal mining. According to a petition filed by Katni resident Ashutosh Dixit, Justice Vishal Mishra of the High Court was forced to recuse himself from a case involving a company linked to Pathak.
In his recusal order, Justice Mishra disclosed that the MLA had attempted to contact him directly via telephone regarding the matter. Citing the need to maintain judicial impartiality, Justice Mishra withdrew from the case and directed that the interference be brought to the attention of the Chief Justice. The petition asserts that Pathak’s actions amounted to criminal contempt by tarnishing the dignity of the judiciary and interfering with judicial processes.
The High Court officially initiated criminal contempt proceedings against Pathak on April 2. While the MLA has sought to avoid further personal appearances, he has already acknowledged the gravity of the situation in prior hearings.
In an earlier submission to the court, Pathak filed an affidavit admitting to the mistake. He has since offered an unconditional apology to the court for his conduct. Despite this admission, the court’s refusal to grant an exemption signals its intent to proceed strictly with the matter of judicial integrity.
Sanjay Pathak is now expected to return to the Jabalpur bench on July 15 as the case continues.
