4 months ago
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Tamil Nadu Advocate General (A-G) P.S. Raman has desisted from granting consent to initiate transgression contempt of tribunal proceedings against Madras High Court retired justice D. Hariparanthaman for his comments against Justice G.R. Swaminathan of the High Court pursuant to an bid passed by the second connected the Thirupparankundram Karthigai Deepam contented successful December 2025.
The A-G wrote: “I person seen the statements made (by Mr. Hariparanthaman) and I whitethorn authorities that I bash not personally concur oregon adjacent o.k. of the views expressed therein.” Nevertheless, helium desisted from granting consent, arsenic required nether Section 15(1)(b) of the Contempt of Courts Act of 1971, aft referring to the close to state of code and look and the close of criticism.
“Since the statements person been made by a retired Judge of the High Court who knows his responsibility, without expressing immoderate sentiment connected whether his comments amounted to bringing the instauration to disrepute, oregon whether the aforesaid property motives to a behaviour of a Judge, exercising my judicial discretion, I deem it acceptable to driblet these proceedings,” the A-G wrote successful his quasi judicial order.
He, however, near it unfastened to the applicant, Srirangam based temple activistic Rangarajan Narasimhan, “to prosecute this substance if helium truthful desires by moving the Hon’ble Madras High Court directly, arsenic is permissible nether the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971.” The applicant had sought consent by referring to interviews of the retired justice published successful 2 YouTube channels connected December 4 and 6, 2025.
Submitting a transcript of those Tamil interviews, the applicant said, the retired justice had said, successful 1 of the interviews, that “everyone knows that helium (Justice Swaminathan) is simply a Sanghi. Like however I americium a communist, helium is simply a Sanghi.” The applicant had besides submitted the links to some YouTube interviews. The A-G perused the interviews and besides the transcripts earlier passing a elaborate order.
Referring to an lawsuit of the Attorney General having recused from proceeding a plea to assistance consent to initiate transgression contempt proceedings against retired Supreme Court justice Markandey Katju since they some were known to each other, Mr. Raman said, helium does not look immoderate specified embarassment since Mr. Hariparanthaman was known to him lone arsenic a justice and a chap lawyer earlier his elevation.
Stating the constituent for information earlier him was to find retired whether the 2 interviews magnitude to a contemptuous conduct, the A-G said: “When persons who person themselves been holding law posts are accused of transgression contempt for nationalist statements made by them regarding the behaviour of the judiciary oregon immoderate peculiar Judge, much attraction is desired to beryllium taken by the sanctioning authority.”
Mr. Raman went connected to state: “While I judge that eminent persons, peculiarly those who person been successful precocious law posts, request to beryllium restrained successful their comments astir the functioning of the judiciary oregon of immoderate peculiar Judge, the aforesaid has besides got to beryllium viewed successful the discourse of state of code and expression, and successful particular, the close of criticism.”
