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The Supreme Court on Tuesday, July 29 issued contempt of court notices to a petitioner, an advocate on record and a lawyer for making ‘scurrilous and scandalous’ remarks against Telangana High Court judge Moushumi Bhattacharya.
A bench of Chief Justice of India BR Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran issued the notices while hearing a petition that asked for a case to be transferred from Justice Moushumi’s court to another judge’s court. The petitioner approached the Supreme Court after Justice Moushumi quashed SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act charges against Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy.
“At a time when we are protecting lawyers from getting summons, we cannot allow our judges to be put in the dock. Aside from the litigants who levy such allegations, even lawyers who prepare such petitions would likely be held liable for contempt of court,” the bench of the Supreme Court observed.
The Supreme Court’s observations gain significance in light of the fact that a month ago advocates with the Telangana High Court Advocates Association (THCAA) had protested against Justice Moushumi alleging that she was ‘humiliating advocates and imposing high costs’ on them.
The judge was also accused of looking down on several members of the bar and humiliating them for not speaking in proper English.
Also Read: Why advocates are boycotting Telangana HC judge Justice Moushumi Bhattacharya