Latest news with #PeddiRaju
New Indian Express
a day ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
SC flags growing trend of lawyers targeting judges
NEW DELHI: Observing that it has become a trend amongst lawyers to criticise judges for no reason, the Supreme Court on Monday directed a litigant and his lawyers to tender an unconditional apology to a Telangana high court judge against whom they levelled many 'scurrilous allegations'. A bench comprising Chief Justice BR Gavai and Justices K Vinod Chandran and Atul S Chandurkar also observed that it has become a trend that whenever a political figure is involved, it is perceived that the petitioner has not got justice and seeks transfer. The bench made it clear that the judges of a high court enjoy the same immunity as Supreme Court judges. The bench noted that under the Constitution, high court or trial court judges are 'in no way inferior' to judges in the Supreme Court. The top court made these directions after hearing a suo motu contempt plea when it observed allegations against high court judges are contemptuous and could not be condoned. The case arose from a transfer plea filed by n Peddi Raju, alleging bias and impropriety against the high court judge who quashed a criminal case under the SC/ST Act against CM Revanth Reddy. 'We can't permit judges to be put in a box and allow any litigant to make such allegations against a judge. Here, we were trying to protect lawyers,' the CJI remarked, while slamming the litigant for his alleged remarks. The court directed Peddi Raju to file his apology. 'We will see if the apology is genuine. When we expressed displeasure at the language, liberty was sought to withdraw. We dismissed the request,' the court had said.
New Indian Express
30-07-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
SC issues contempt notices over defamatory plea against Telangana HC judge
NEW DELHI: Expressing strong displeasure over scurrilous allegations made by a petitioner, Peddi Raju, against Telangana High Court judge Justice Moushumi Bhattacharya, the Supreme Court on Tuesday issued contempt notices to him and his lawyers. A bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) B R Gavai and Justice Vinod Chandran stated that no litigant would be allowed to make baseless accusations against a judge. 'We can't permit judges to be put in a box and allow any litigant to make such allegations. Here, we were trying to protect lawyers,' the CJI observed while criticising the petitioner for his remarks. SC: Lawyers too equally liable for misconduct The court directed Raju to file an apology. 'We will see if the apology is genuine or not. When we expressed displeasure at the language, liberty was sought to withdraw [the plea]. We dismissed the request,' the bench said. The court also clarified that the lawyers representing Raju would be equally liable for the misconduct, given their involvement in the filing of the petition. The allegations were made in a plea seeking transfer of a case in which Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy was granted relief out of the Telangana High Court. The High Court had quashed criminal charges against Reddy under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. The Supreme Court said it would consider a lenient approach only if the apologies submitted by both the litigant and his lawyers appeared sincere.
