The Delhi High Court has handed down a four-month prison sentence to a lawyer after finding him guilty of criminal contempt. The court harshly criticized the lawyer, stating he had “scandalized and lowered the dignity” of the judiciary with his remarks against judges.
Justices Pratibha M Singh and Amit Sharma of the bench remarked that the advocate utilized “deplorable and derogatory language,” thus undermining the respect for judicial officers, high court judges, and the court itself. The bench expressed its disappointment, highlighting the lack of respect the lawyer had for the judicial system, noting his failure to offer an apology or show any remorse for his actions.
“The contemnor has displayed no respect for the courts or the judicial system… His conduct is an overt attempt to scandalize and malign the courts. Such behavior, particularly from someone qualified as an advocate, cannot be left unpunished,” the court articulated.
Further aggravating the court’s view was the lawyer’s history of filing between 30 to 40 complaints against various judges and police officers, which the bench interpreted as a deliberate effort to degrade the court’s dignity and authority.
In a significant move, the bench decided against suspending the sentence, citing the “vilification campaign” the lawyer had waged against the court and several of its judges, along with the “brazen nature” of his submissions in the contempt petition.
The issue came to a head in May when a judge initiated a suo moto criminal contempt case following the lawyer’s inappropriate personal remarks about judges and contemptuous comments in the chat box during virtual court proceedings.
The court concluded that neither the lawyer’s derogatory language nor his conduct could be condoned, emphasizing that such actions must be met with appropriate punishment. In addition to incarceration, the court imposed a fine of ₹2000 on the lawyer and ordered his immediate custody to begin serving his sentence.
