"Entire Conduct Is Merely An Attempt To Scandalize And Malign Courts": Delhi HC Sentences Lawyer To 4 Months Jail For Criminal Contempt

The Delhi High Court has sentenced a lawyer to four months of simple imprisonment after finding him guilty of criminal contempt for making derogatory remarks against judges and filing multiple frivolous complaints against members of the judiciary and police officers.

The Division Bench of Justice Prathiba M. Singh and Justice Amit Sharma observed that the lawyer demonstrated neither remorse nor offered an apology for his conduct, which they described as an attempt to "scandalize and malign the Courts."

“Such conduct on behalf of the Contemnor, especially someone who is qualified as an Advocate, cannot be left unpunished,” the Court remarked.

The contempt proceedings were initiated in May when a single judge filed a suo moto criminal contempt case after the lawyer allegedly made personal and derogatory comments about judges and left contemptuous remarks in the virtual hearing’s chat box. Comments included phrases such as, "hope this court will pass the order on merit without pressure of bar members review no. 120/2024," and other statements insinuating intentional delays and biased decisions.

Upon reviewing 30-40 complaints lodged by the lawyer, as well as his chat box comments, the bench found that he had made disparaging allegations against both trial court and High Court judges, along with police officers, purportedly in an attempt to settle personal matters with his estranged wife’s family.

The Court observed, "The deplorable and derogatory language used by the Contemnor are clearly contemptuous against the Judicial Officers, Judges and Court. The same cannot be condoned or ignored and neither can the conduct of the Contemnor go unpunished. The Contemnor has deliberately kept several Courts occupied in his frivolous and baseless allegations, where he has only attempted to settle scores with his wife and his wife’s family."

“The misuse of hybrid hearings to place such derogatory remarks in the chat box leaves no doubt in the Court’s mind that the Contemnor is liable to be punished for criminal contempt,” the Bench concluded.

In addition to the four-month jail sentence, the Court had imposed a fine of Rs. 2,000. The Bench ordered that police authorities take the lawyer into custody immediately from the court premises and declined any suspension of the sentence.

"At this stage, the Contemnor prays that the sentence awarded today be suspended for a short duration and he may be permitted to approach the Supreme Court in respect of the order passed today. Considering the vilification campaign that the Contemnor against the Courts in general and several Judges in particular and the brazen nature in which he addressed submissions even in this contempt petition, the Court is not inclined to suspend the order. The Contemnor has also been given repeated opportunities to be assisted by ld. Counsels in the previous hearings, however, he has chosen to argue the present matter in person. However, it is directed that if the Contemnor so seeks to be assisted by a Counsel, let the Delhi High Court Legal Services Committee (DHCLSC) provide him a Counsel for his assistance," the Court said in its order. 

Cause Title: Court on its own motion v. Sanjeev Kumar [Neutral Citation No. 2024: DHC: 8587-DB]

Appearance:-

Respondent: Advocates Varun Goswami (Amicus Curiae), Hritik Chaudhary, Sahil Agarwal, Rajesh Singh, Aman Usman

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