Supreme Court refuses to list Karnan petition over sentence

New Delhi: Pointing out that a seven-judge Bench of the Supreme Court had passed the order of six months imprisonment, the vacation court on Wednesday refused to consider the fresh plea of Justice C.S. Karnan (who is absconding and evading arrest) seeking suspension of the sentence. A bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan and Deepak Gupta refused to entertain the plea of advocate Nedumpara Mathews for listing the petition challenging the orders of the Registra judicial holding Justice Karnan’s writ petition as not maintainable and for stay of the order of sentence passed on May 9.

The seven-judge bench had then indicated that it will pass a detailed order giving reasons for holding Justice Karnan guilty of contempt of court. In the meanwhile one of the judges in the bench, Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose has retired and fresh orders can be passed only after reconstituting the bench.

In view of this position Justice Karnan,who is due to retire on June 12 as a judge of the Calcutta High Court filed an Application challenging the order of the Registrar Judicial declining even to register his petition for Recall of the May 9 order.

He said his petition to the President of India for suspension of the sentence is still pending and till it is considered, Justice Karnan should not be arrested.