Contempt of Courts Act, 1971

The Supreme Court, hearing a suo motu criminal contempt petition against senior advocate Prashant Bhushan, affirmed his conviction for scandalising the judiciary through tweets and an affidavit alleging misconduct by judges. The Court held that the defence of truth under Section 13 of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971 r…

Yatin Narendra Oza, a senior counsel of the Gujarat High Court, was held liable for contempt after making unwarranted speeches, letters and statements that the Gujarat High Court deemed scandalous. The High Court issued a notice under the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971 restraining him from further such activity and from …

Ram Niranjan Roy, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, intervened in a public interest writ before the Patna High Court and shouted at the judges, claiming personal grievances over his posting. The High Court held him guilty of contempt under Section 14 of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, ordered his custody for 24 hour…

The Supreme Court heard a contempt petition filed by Dr. Ashish Ranjan, who alleged that Dr. Anupama Tandon and her mother deliberately violated a Lok Adalat compromise order dated 3 May 2008 that granted the mother physical custody of their child and the father visitation rights. The Court found that the respondents h…

Bharat Steel Tubes Ltd. had borrowed money from Punjab National Bank and entered into a one‑time settlement, paying only part of the amount. It later engaged Assets Care Enterprises Ltd. (ACE) to pay the balance, and ACE assigned its rights to IFCI Ltd. IFCI invoked the SARFAESI Act to enforce security and sought aucti…

The Supreme Court had directed the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) to postpone pronouncing its judgment in a pending appeal until the result of Finolex Cables Limited's Annual General Meeting (AGM) was declared. Despite being apprised of this order, the NCLAT bench pronounced its judgment on 13 October …

The appellant challenged a criminal contempt proceeding initiated by the Allahabad High Court against several persons for an article published on 10 November 2008 that named judges. Two advocates filed an application on 18 November 2008 seeking suo motu contempt action, but the High Court only took suo motu action on 2…

The respondents, transferred to the Indian Railways, sought seniority and promotion benefits under a 2005 order of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT). The department allegedly failed to fully implement the order, prompting the respondents to file a contempt petition before the CAT, which in 2010 directed the app…

The Trust obtained a decree for possession of premises occupied by the Society, but the High Court stayed execution pending the Society's appeal and imposed a conditional stay requiring deposits and a status‑quo. The Society later let out the premises for exhibitions, violating the stay conditions, leading the Trust to…

The appellant, a practising advocate and former army officer, repeatedly threatened a lady counsel, failed to appear before the Delhi High Court despite several adjournments, and filed baseless applications maligning judges, prompting the High Court to invoke its suo motu contempt jurisdiction. The High Court convicted…

M.V. Jayarajan delivered a public speech in Kannur criticizing a Kerala High Court order that prohibited meetings on public roads, using language that the court deemed abusive, including calling judges "idiots" and employing the regional term "sumbhan". The High Court convicted him of criminal contempt under Section 12…

The appellant, an IAS officer, challenged disciplinary proceedings by filing an Original Application before the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) seeking quash of a charge memo dated 30‑11‑1999, asserting she received it only on 19‑6‑2002 and thus was within the limitation period. The respondents contended the memo…

The Suraz India Trust, chaired by Rajiv Daiya, filed a large number of public interest litigations that the Supreme Court deemed frivolous and ordered the Trust and its chairman to refrain from filing further petitions, imposing exemplary costs of Rs. 25 lakh. Daiya failed to pay the costs, repeatedly sought modificati…

Prakash Kumar Dixit was removed from service in 1995; the Delhi High Court set aside the removal, imposed a minor penalty and ordered his reinstatement with backdated seniority, but the order was not implemented timely and he was denied promotion to IG before retirement. He initiated contempt proceedings, and a Single …

The respondent, a permanent trustee of the Lilavati Kirtilal Mehta Medical Trust, sought the removal of the petitioner and four other trustees alleging misfeasance and misuse of trust funds. The Joint Charity Commissioner ordered that the trustees could not make any policy decisions or financial transactions without hi…

The Committee of Management of Anuragi Devi Degree College sought a writ of mandamus directing Deen Dayal Upadhyay Gorakhpur University to extend its temporary affiliation for the 2015-16 academic session after the statutory deadline had passed. The college had applied for permanent affiliation, but the university fail…

Arun Kumar Yadav, a litigant, entered a courtroom on 5 September 2005 and shouted threatening, unparliamentary remarks at a Judicial Magistrate who was dictating an order. The magistrate lodged a complaint, and the Allahabad High Court framed a charge of criminal contempt under Section 12 of the Contempt of Courts Act,…

Gojer Brothers Private Limited had leased land to a school which, after a prolonged eviction suit, continued to occupy the premises. The State of West Bengal issued a notification under Section 4(1) of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 to acquire the land for the school, and the appellant filed objections under Section 5A…

The appellant, a registered medical practitioner, was found to have willfully defied demolition orders concerning an unauthorised building extension and was subsequently held in contempt of court, leading the High Court to suspend his licence to practise medicine. The appellant challenged the suspension, arguing that t…

The Supreme Court examined the Delhi Development Authority's (DDA) unauthorised felling of over a thousand trees in the Delhi Ridge and its failure to disclose this during a hearing, despite pending applications for permission. The Court held that these actions amounted to wilful disobedience of its 1996 order in M.C. …

Bal Kishan Giri, a practising advocate, filed a complaint in the Allahabad High Court alleging that three High Court judges were biased and would grant bail to accused gangsters linked to a local MLA, after his nephew was murdered. The High Court issued a show‑cause notice for contempt, to which Giri tendered an uncond…

The appellant, a lawyer, was convicted of criminal contempt under Section 12 of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, by the Allahabad High Court and fined Rs.20,000. He appealed the conviction and fine before the Supreme Court (Criminal Appeal No. 686 of 2010). The Supreme Court, while noting the judgment in the related C…

The District Bar Association of Dehradun challenged a High Court order directing Bar Associations to withdraw a long‑standing Saturday strike by advocates in Dehradun, Haridwar and Udham Singh Nagar, and to initiate disciplinary action against those who persisted. The petitioners argued that the right to strike is prot…

The petition filed by advocate R. Muthukrishnan challenged the validity of the Madras High Court's amended Rules 14A‑14D, which purported to empower the High Court to debar advocates for various forms of professional misconduct. The core issue was whether Section 34 of the Advocates Act, 1961 authorises a High Court to…

The Supreme Court entertained a suo motu contempt petition filed against Vijay Kurle, Rashid Khan Pathan and Nilesh Ojha for circulating letters containing scandalous and scurrilous allegations against two Supreme Court judges. The Court examined whether it could initiate contempt proceedings without the consent of the…

The Supreme Court considered a contempt petition filed by JSW Steel Ltd., which had become the successful resolution applicant for the insolvent Monnet Ispat and Energy Ltd. After the National Company Law Tribunal approved the resolution plan, the State of Chhattisgarh issued demand notices for sales tax, VAT and entry…

The Supreme Court, hearing a suo motu contempt petition (CrL.) No.1 of 2019, affirmed that advocate Mathews J. Nedumpara had committed contempt of court for statements made in the face of the Court. He tendered an affidavit of apology and was sentenced to three months' imprisonment, suspended on condition of future goo…

The petitioners filed a writ under Article 32 seeking a declaration that Supreme Court proceedings of constitutional and national importance be live‑streamed and that a regulatory framework be established. The Court examined whether live‑streaming is compatible with the constitutional mandate of open courts, the rights…

An accused in an NDPS case complained that his advocate had charged exorbitant fees and withdrawn from representation, seeking a refund. The Bar Council disciplinary authority examined the complaint, absolved the advocate, and ordered a partial refund of Rs.4 lakhs. The High Court, however, convicted the advocate of cr…

The Supreme Court examined contempt proceedings against T.C. Gupta, Director General of Town & Country Planning, Haryana, who had granted a licence for a residential plotted colony after the High Court had issued an interim order directing a status‑quo on allotments. The Court held that contempt is a quasi‑criminal pro…

The Board of Trustees of the Port of Mumbai (Petitioner) obtained an eviction decree against Nikhil N. Gupta and his company (Respondents) who had continued to occupy premises after a lease expired in 1952. The Supreme Court, dismissing a special leave petition, granted the Respondents one year to vacate, subject to an…

The respondents filed a criminal contempt petition in the Calcutta High Court against Biman Basu for making derogatory statements about a sitting High Court judge. The petition was filed under Section 15 of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, but without the written consent of the Advocate General, which the High Court t…

A complaint alleging irregularities in construction works at the Madhya Pradesh Vidhan Sabha was investigated by the Lokayukt, which referred the matter to the Special Police Establishment (SPE) under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The Vidhan Sabha Secretary issued letters claiming a breach of legislative privilege …

Kanwar Singh Saini appealed against a conviction for criminal contempt by the Delhi High Court for allegedly breaching an undertaking given in a civil suit that resulted in a decree granting a permanent injunction. The Supreme Court held that an application under Order XXXIX Rule 2A of the CPC is only available during …

The Supreme Court examined an editorial published by Arun Shourie that criticised a report of a Commission of Inquiry headed by a sitting Supreme Court Judge, Justice Kuldip Singh. Dr. Subramanian Swamy filed contempt petitions alleging that the editorial scandalised the Court. The Court was asked to decide (i) whether…

The appellant, a practising advocate, was charged with criminal contempt after he and about fifty other lawyers obstructed police officers attempting to execute a non‑bailable warrant issued by a Madras High Court judge. The High Court found a prima facie case of contempt under Section 2(c)(iii) of the Contempt of Cour…

The appellants, shareholders of RBT Private Ltd., filed a contempt petition alleging that the respondent, a fellow shareholder, willfully violated court and arbitral orders by removing assets and failing to pay loan EMIs. A Single Judge of the Delhi High Court on 5 December 2023 held the respondent guilty of contempt a…

The Committee of Creditors (CoC) of Amtek Auto Ltd., through Corporation Bank, filed a contempt petition against Deccan Value Investors (DVI) after the Supreme Court rejected DVI's application seeking to renegotiate its approved resolution plan on the ground of COVID‑19. DVI also moved a rectification application alleg…

The employee Rajeshwar Mahto was terminated by Birla Corporation Ltd. and challenged the termination before an Industrial Tribunal, which held he was not a "workman". The High Court set aside that award, declaring him a workman, but the Supreme Court later allowed the corporation's appeal, reinstating the tribunal's de…

The Supreme Court examined contempt proceedings initiated suo motu by the Allahabad High Court against police personnel accused of illegally detaining a man whose whereabouts were unknown. The High Court had presumed the detainee dead under Section 108 of the Evidence Act, despite only 4½ years having elapsed, and conv…

The appellant, a former Deputy Director of the Enforcement Directorate, alleged that respondents deliberately suppressed material facts about a mistaken Interpol notice, causing him to remain in judicial custody for 36 days. He filed a criminal contempt petition under Article 215 of the Constitution, claiming the respo…

Daiichi Sankyo Co. Ltd sought enforcement of a Singapore arbitral award of about INR 2,562 crore against 20 respondents, including Oscar Investments Ltd and the Singh brothers. The Supreme Court examined whether the Singh brothers (contemnors 9 and 10) had willfully violated multiple orders and undertakings of the Delh…

The dispute arose from a civil suit concerning the partition of ancestral land, which led to a decree directing the Tahsildar to mutate the name of the first respondent in revenue records. The Tahsildar failed to comply, prompting a contempt petition that was initially allowed by a Single Judge but later set aside by a…

Senior advocate R.K. Anand was held guilty of contempt for attempting to suborn a court witness in a criminal trial where he represented the accused. The Delhi High Court punished him with a four‑month ban from appearing before the High Court, a fine of Rs 2,000 and recommended that he be stripped of his senior‑advocat…

The petitioner, a lifetime trustee of the Lilavati Kirtilal Mehta Medical Trust, alleged that respondent No.6 failed to give notice of a Board of Trustees meeting as ordered by this Court on 14 February 2014, constituting willful contempt. The Court had earlier stayed the meeting scheduled for 7 February 2014 and order…

The Baranagore Jute Factory in liquidation was to receive compensation from the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) for land acquisition. The compensation, after deduction of tax deducted at source (TDS), was to be deposited with the High Court and kept under its protection. The company’s managers later claimed …

Satwant Singh, an investigating officer, arrested Malkeet Singh on a charge of murder (Section 307 IPC) after the latter had been granted anticipatory bail under Section 438 of the CrPC. The High Court had ordered that the bail protection applied only to offences listed in its order, leading to a conviction of Satwant …

The Supreme Court heard three contempt petitions filed by Ericsson India Pvt. Ltd. against Reliance Communications Ltd., Reliance Telecom Ltd. and Reliance Infratel Ltd. (collectively the Reliance Companies) for failing to honour a settlement of INR 550 crore that was ordered to be paid by 30 September 2018, with a lat…

The Supreme Court examined a large group of contempt petitions filed by newspaper establishments alleging that they had failed to implement the Majithia Wage Board Award, which had been upheld by the Court in a 2014 judgment. The petitioners claimed wilful disobedience of the award, seeking civil contempt under Section…

The Supreme Court examined petitions filed under Article 32 seeking an inquiry into the death of Judge Brijgopal Harkishan Loya, who died on 1 December 2014 while presiding over the Sohrabuddin case. The petitioners relied on media reports alleging foul play and questioned the conduct of the judges who accompanied the …

Shyam Sahni filed a civil suit seeking declaration, possession, injunction and partition of property inherited from his mother. Respondent No.1 (Arjun Prakash) and his father created an equitable mortgage on the property to secure a bank loan and repeatedly failed to honour undertakings to clear the charge, leading to …

The case arose from a family dispute between Rama Narang (petitioner) and his sons Ramesh and Rajesh Narang (respondents) who were directors of a company. The Supreme Court had earlier ordered a settlement (Consent Order) requiring joint management of the company, but the petitioner alleged that the respondents violate…

The case arose from an arbitration award directing the Andaman and Nicobar Administration to pay a contractor a sum with interest. The Executive Engineer (appellant) wrote letters to the contractor seeking to adjust the award by having the contractor accept only the principal amount and waive interest, invoking Order X…

Ram Kishan, a former Under Secretary (Legal) of Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam Ltd., was compulsorily retired and later obtained reinstatement with all consequential benefits, but without back wages, from the High Court. The Supreme Court subsequently granted him back wages, yet the employer denied him the re‑desig…

The mother, alleged to suffer from paranoid schizophrenia, filed a guardianship petition seeking custody of her minor daughter, while the father sought custody on grounds of the mother’s mental illness and alleged cruelty. The mother counter‑alleged that the father sexually abused the child. Three counsellors reported …

ECL Finance Ltd filed a contempt petition alleging that the respondents had breached a consent decree dated 14 August 2015. The Single Judge of the Bombay High Court admitted the petition and issued a notice to the respondents, after which the respondents filed an intra‑court appeal under Section 19 of the Contempt of …

The petitioners, practising advocates, filed a writ under Article 32 challenging the constitutional validity of Sections 16 and 23(5) of the Advocates Act, 1961 and Rule 2 of Order IV of the Supreme Court Rules, 2013, alleging that the designation of senior advocates creates an unlawful class violating Articles 14, 19 …

Petitioners C. Chakkaravarty and others filed a contempt petition under Article 129 of the Constitution and Section 12 of the Contempt of Courts Act, alleging that the respondents, the Government of Pondicherry, violated the Supreme Court’s 2010 judgment in N. Suresh Nathan v. Union of India which mandated that promoti…

A local committee staged a satyagraha outside the Jalpaiguri District Court, preventing judges from entering the premises. The Calcutta High Court issued suo motu contempt rules against 16 agitators and several officials, finding them guilty of criminal contempt under Section 2(c) of the Contempt of Courts Act and sent…

The petitioner N. Eswaranathan, convicted of several offences, filed a first Special Leave Petition (SLP) which was dismissed by the Supreme Court with an order to surrender. He subsequently filed a second SLP on the same grounds, with the same Advocate-on-Record (AOR) P. Soma Sundaram and counsel S. Muthukrishnan fili…

The appellants, children and legal representatives of the deceased landlord, filed a contempt petition under Section 11(2) of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, alleging that the respondents had abused the process of the court by filing a second application in execution proceedings. The High Court Division Bench on 9 Ju…

The Supreme Court examined a contempt petition filed after the respondent, Balbir, evaded arrest by remaining admitted in a private hospital for 527 days without medical justification, despite a Supreme Court order cancelling his bail and directing his surrender. The Court found that the respondent deliberately used th…

The petitioner sought enforcement of a Singapore arbitral award of about Rs.3,500 crore against respondents who owned Fortis Healthcare. The Supreme Court had earlier ordered a status‑quo on 11 August 2017, clarified on 31 August 2017 and modified on 15 February 2018, prohibiting any change in the shareholding of Forti…

Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal contributed a message to a literary association's souvenir expressing concerns about the legal fraternity and criticizing certain judicial practices. The message was not released to the press and was circulated only among members, but excerpts were later published in the Times of India, lead…

Vishram Singh Raghu Banshi, a practising advocate, was found to have abused the presiding magistrate with vulgar language after the magistrate questioned his involvement in an alleged impersonation of a surrendering accused. The magistrate complained, leading to contempt proceedings under Section 15 of the Contempt of …

The case arose when an elected MLA, Parithi Llamvazhuthi, was granted conditional bail to take oath in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, but an application filed by Inspector Rajendra Kumar sought cancellation of that bail on the basis of a false statement that the MLA was in police custody. The MLA alleged that the Commissione…

The National Campaign Committee filed a writ petition under Article 32 seeking full implementation of the Building and Other Construction Workers (Regulations of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1996 and the Welfare Cess Act, 1996, including the constitution of State Welfare Boards, registration of workers an…

The respondents were engaged as casual labourers in the Ordnance Factory Board from 1981 to 1983 and were disengaged because they were not recruited through the Employment Exchange as required then. They filed petitions before the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) seeking re‑engagement and regularisation, relying o…

The petitioner’s 29.38‑acre land in Bihar was initially acquired under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 with a 1981 notification and possession taken, later declared a protected forest. An award was passed in 2006, but the Supreme Court in August 2015 held that the acquisition proceedings had lapsed and directed the Stat…

The Supreme Court, acting suo motu, took cognizance of two tweets posted by advocate Prashant Bhushan that alleged the Chief Justice of India was riding a luxury motorcycle while keeping the Court in "lockdown" and that the Supreme Court had facilitated the destruction of democracy. The Court examined whether such stat…

An amicus curiae, senior advocate Harish N. Salve, brought to the Supreme Court's notice statements made by senior advocate Prashant Bhushan in a Tehelka interview alleging widespread corruption in the higher judiciary and specifically imputing misconduct against Chief Justice S.H. Kapadia. The Court, on 6 November 200…

The appellant, advocate B.N. Shivanna, was retained by Advanta India Ltd. and allegedly fabricated High Court orders and embezzled Rs 72 lakhs by misusing his position. The Karnataka High Court suo motu and on the company’s complaint initiated criminal contempt proceedings, convicted him and sentenced him to six months…

The Supreme Court considered contempt petitions filed by the successful auction purchaser (Celir LLP) against the original borrower, a subsequent transferee, and the bank, alleging wilful disobedience of the Court’s 21 September 2023 judgment that confirmed the 9th auction of a secured asset and directed issuance of a …

The appellant, a meritorious candidate claiming reservation in the sports and games category, was denied admission to the MBBS course after the statutory cut‑off date of 30 September 2015. The High Court, relying on the decision in Jasmine Kaur, refused admission and awarded only monetary compensation. The Supreme Cour…

The Supreme Court entertained suo motu contempt petitions arising from its own directions on medical college admissions in Chhattisgarh, finding that the Director of Medical Education, Dr. S.L. Adile, and four other officials wilfully flouted the Court's schedule and admitted two candidates, including the Director's da…

The Supreme Court considered multiple writ petitions and appeals filed by private teacher‑education colleges, including Maa Vaishno Devi Mahila Mahavidyalaya, which had obtained recognition from the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) but were denied affiliation by universities and the Uttar Pradesh State Gov…

Senior IPS officer Sanjiv Rajendra Bhatt filed writ petitions under Article 32 seeking transfer of investigations into two criminal cases to the CBI or a fresh Special Investigation Team (SIT), alleging that he was present at a 2002 Gujarat meeting, that the Court‑appointed SIT leaked confidential material, and that hi…

The Supreme Court examined the appropriate procedure for police to conduct media briefings during ongoing criminal investigations, balancing the public’s right to information under Article 19(1)(a) with the accused’s presumption of innocence and victims’ privacy under Article 21. An amicus curiae was appointed who coll…

The Indian Medical Association filed a writ petition alleging that Patanjali Ayurved Ltd., its managing director Acharya Balkrishna and proponent Baba Ramdev, violated an undertaking given to the Supreme Court on 21 November 2023 by holding a press conference on 22 November 2023 and publishing advertisements that claim…

The petitioners, junior engineers who obtained B.Tech (Civil) degrees through distance education between 2001‑2005, passed the AICTE test in June 2018 and claimed that the respondents had violated Supreme Court directions by not granting them promotions and other benefits. The Supreme Court had earlier, in a civil appe…

The petitioner filed contempt petitions alleging that the respondents, including state transport authorities and the contractor M/s Utsav Safety Systems Pvt. Ltd., failed to implement the High Security Registration Plates (HSRP) scheme in accordance with Supreme Court orders dated 8 December 2011, which prohibit sub‑co…

The Supreme Court heard appeals against a Delhi High Court judgment that limited the benefit of a rehabilitation order to only the petitioners in a public interest litigation concerning the demolition of slum dwellers' jhuggi clusters. The petitioners sought relocation and compensation for all affected residents, whose…

Advocate Amit Chanchal Jha was convicted by the Delhi High Court for criminal contempt after allegedly abusing a lady advocate in the courtroom, resulting in a seven‑day imprisonment, three‑month debarment and a direction to refer the matter to the Bar Council of India. Jha appealed to the Supreme Court, contending tha…

The appellant, a teacher in a private aided school, refused to contribute to a tax demand and was suspended and later terminated without proper approval or a fair inquiry, violating the Maharashtra Employees of Private Schools (Conditions of Service) Act, 1977 and principles of natural justice. The School Tribunal quas…

The National Campaign for Dignity and Rights of Sewerage and Allied Workers filed a public interest litigation before the Delhi High Court seeking safety measures and compensation for sewage workers who died in hazardous conditions. The High Court issued interim directions ordering the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) to provide …

The Supreme Court entertained a contempt petition filed by Urban Infrastructure Real Estate Fund against Dharmesh S. Jain and another for wilful disobedience of a Supreme Court order dated 28 October 2021 and a Bombay High Court order dated 8 August 2019. Despite repeated opportunities to comply with the orders or to s…

The NGO Kalyaneswari and its Secretary B.K. Sharma filed a writ petition in the Gujarat High Court seeking the closure of an asbestos manufacturing unit, which the High Court dismissed as being filed at the behest of rival industrial groups and lacking bona fides. Undeterred, they approached the Supreme Court with a fr…

Ranveer Yadav, a witness in a criminal trial, along with five others disrupted court proceedings, forcing the judge to leave the courtroom. The High Court, acting under Section 15(2) of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, held Yadav to be the main culprit and convicted him of criminal contempt under Section 2(c)(ii), sen…

The Supreme Court examined the conduct of advocate Mathews J. Nedumpara, who repeatedly insulted and attempted to browbeat judges during proceedings, and held that such behaviour amounts to contempt in the face of the Court. The Court noted his prior disruptive conduct before tribunals and the Bombay High Court, conclu…

H.G. Rangangoud applied for a mining lease which was later reserved by the Central Government in favour of State Trading Corporation of India Ltd. The Karnataka High Court, through a single judge, quashed the reservation. Before filing an appeal, Rangangoud informed the State Government of the order and sought its impl…

The Supreme Court was approached after a television channel disclosed confidential settlement proposals between Sahara India Real Estate Corp. Ltd. and SEBI during pending litigation, raising concerns about media reporting of sub‑judice matters. The Court examined whether it could issue guidelines or orders restricting…

The Supreme Court heard a suo moto contempt petition against Perry Kansagra, a Kenyan citizen of Indian origin who had obtained custody of his son Aditya through Indian courts based on undertakings to submit to the jurisdiction of Indian courts and to comply with court orders, including obtaining a "mirror order" from …

The Supreme Court heard contempt petitions filed by State Bank of India and other banks against Dr. Vijay Mallya for willfully disobeying High Court of Karnataka orders that restrained him from transferring or alienating assets, including the disbursement of US$40 million to trusts for his children. The Court found Mal…

HSBC PI Holdings (Mauritius) Ltd. invested USD 60 million in Avitel, a company owned by the respondents. The Supreme Court, affirming a 2014 order, directed the respondents to maintain a USD 60 million balance in a Corporation Bank account. The respondents failed to comply, repeatedly sought exemption, and claimed lack…

The appellants challenged a Himachal Pradesh High Court contempt order that held the petroleum dealers' policy guidelines, framed on 17‑02‑2014 and notified on 21‑05‑2014, to be in violation of a Supreme Court judgment dated 17‑05‑2012. The 2012 judgment had directed the parties to maintain the status quo only until su…

Asok Pandey, a member of the Bar, filed a writ petition under Article 32 seeking mandamus directing the Supreme Court to prescribe a fixed procedure for constituting benches—three‑judge benches to consist of the Chief Justice of India and the two senior‑most judges, and Constitution benches to consist of the five senio…

The petitioner obtained a writ from the Gauhati High Court directing the Union of India to re‑designate him as a Warrant Officer and extend his pay. The Union appealed to the Supreme Court (Civil Appeal No. 25 of 2008), which dismissed the appeal, thereby upholding the High Court’s directions. The petitioner later file…

Vineeta Srinandan, a former director of Seawoods Estates Ltd., issued a circular alleging a "dog mafia" influencing judges, which the Bombay High Court held to be criminal contempt under Section 2(c) of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971 and sentenced her to one week imprisonment and a fine. She promptly filed a reply af…

The appellant, a qualified Chartered Accountant, was appointed Manager (Finance) and later Deputy Chief (Finance) at Manganese Ore (India) Ltd. He was suspended and subsequently dismissed following a series of show-cause notices after reporting late to work due to his father's death. The High Court reinstated him but d…

Mehmood Pracha, appearing as counsel before the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), was charged with criminal contempt under Section 14 of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971 for allegedly demanding a camera‑held hearing to make undisclosed allegations against the Chairman. The Tribunal framed the charge on 10‑02‑2020,…

The Supreme Court had earlier ordered the closure and relocation of industrial units operating in residential or non‑conforming areas of Delhi, directing that such premises be sealed and only de‑sealed upon an undertaking not to resume industrial activity. Respondent Sanjay Gupta, the occupier of premises at 87/1 Villa…

The appellant, a high‑scoring candidate in the MBBS entrance exam, was denied admission to the MBBS course despite being present at the second counseling, while lower‑scoring candidates were admitted. The High Court initially granted her relief, but the Division Bench set aside that order. The Supreme Court held that t…

Advocate Rakesh Tiwari entered the chamber of Chief Judicial Magistrate Alok Pandey with several junior lawyers, hurled abusive language, threatened physical assault and attempted to intimidate the magistrate. The Allahabad High Court held that such conduct amounted to criminal contempt under Section 2(c) of the Contem…

The appellant L.K. Trust claimed that a concluded contract existed between it and EDC Ltd. for the sale of a mortgaged hotel property, arguing that the mortgagor (Falcon Retreat Pvt. Ltd., respondent No.3) had lost its statutory right of redemption under Section 60 of the Transfer of Property Act. The Supreme Court hel…

The Urban Infrastructure Real Estate Fund (U.I.R.E.F) obtained an arbitral award of Rs 78.33 crore against Dharmesh S. Jain and others, which the Bombay High Court stayed on the condition that the respondents deposit 50% of the amount. The High Court’s order dated 08‑08‑2019 was later extended twice by the Supreme Cour…

The Supreme Court examined a contempt petition filed by Rajeshwar Singh, an Assistant Director of the Enforcement Directorate, who alleged that respondents including Subrata Roy Sahara were intimidating him and attempting to derail the court‑monitored investigation into the 2G Spectrum scam. The petitioner invoked Arti…

The Supreme Court dealt with a contempt petition filed by the Seth Group against the Mittal Group arising from a joint‑venture dispute over land development, license renewal and EDC liabilities. Both parties had executed a Memorandum of Settlement (MoS) on 4 May 2015, which the Court incorporated into its order disposi…

The Supreme Court dismissed the respondent's Special Leave Petitions and granted the landlord nine months to obtain vacant possession of the premises, subject to an undertaking. The respondent failed to file the undertaking on time, filed multiple review and extension applications, and deliberately avoided personal app…

The petitioners, directors of Parul Polymers Pvt. Ltd., obtained a conditional stay from the Delhi High Court on 8 April 2015, undertaking to deposit Rs 7 crore in three instalments by 30 June 2015. They later issued post‑dated cheques dated 6 May 2015, which bounced on 8 May 2015, and subsequently evaded court appeara…

The appellant, a Tehsildar, was ordered by the Andhra Pradesh High Court to consider representations for regularising houses on government land and to maintain the status quo pending a decision. Despite the orders, he led a police force to demolish structures and evict families, beating women and children. The High Cou…

The Wikimedia Foundation, as a defendant in a defamation suit filed by ANI Media, appealed a High Court order directing it to delete Wikipedia pages and discussion threads that commented on the court's proceedings, alleging that the order violated its freedom of speech and the sub judice principle. The High Court had h…

Meenal Bhargava and Naveen Sharma, a married couple, lived in the US/Canada and had a child, Pranav. The husband obtained a Canadian court order granting him custody and directing the child’s return, which the wife ignored and brought the child to India, prompting the husband to file a habeas corpus petition in the Raj…

The Supreme Court suo motu initiated contempt proceedings against Justice C.S. Karnan of the Madras High Court for repeatedly issuing letters and orders that alleged corruption and caste-based discrimination against numerous judges, including Supreme Court judges, and for publicly scandalising the judiciary. The Court …

Advocates O.P. Sharma and others verbally abused and threatened a Judicial Magistrate in a Faridabad court, using filthy language and slogans. The High Court, acting suo motu, convicted them of criminal contempt under s.2(c) of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971 and sentenced them to simple imprisonment and fine. The adv…

Manoj H. Mishra, a tradesman and union leader at Kakrapar Atomic Power Project, wrote a letter to a newspaper describing a flood‑induced accident and alleging corruption. He was charged with unauthorised communication to the press, criticism of project management and breach of confidentiality, and admitted all charges …

The respondents challenged the acquisition of their land under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894. The Punjab & Haryana High Court ordered the state officials (appellants) to furnish names of landowners whose lands were released without filing objections under Section 5A. The appellants mistakenly supplied information abou…

The appellant, Dipak Kumar Mukherjee, challenged the illegal construction of a multi‑storeyed building by respondent No.7 (a construction company) that exceeded the two‑storey plan sanctioned under the Kolkata Municipal Corporation Act, 1980. Despite a stop‑work notice and a demolition order passed by the Mayor‑in‑Coun…

The Rajasthan High Court had issued an interim order on 22 March 2001 staying the implementation of a Motor Accident Claims Tribunal award in favour of United India Insurance. The order was not complied with. Dinesh Kumar Gupta joined the High Court registry as Deputy Registrar (Judicial) only in January 2005, four yea…

The appellants, Priya Gupta and Akanksha Adile, were admitted to the MBBS programme at Government Medical College, Jagdalpur on 30 September 2006 through a hurried process that ignored higher‑ranking candidates, allegedly due to favouritism (the father of the second appellant was the Director of Medical Education). The…

E. Bapanaiah, a depositor, filed a contempt petition against K.S. Raju, promoter director of Nagarjuna Finance Ltd., alleging wilful breach of an undertaking given to the Company Law Board (CLB) to repay deposits. The High Court division bench set aside the conviction and sentence imposed by a single judge, finding Raj…

The Supreme Court granted the petitioner absolute interim anticipatory bail on 8 December 2023, ordering his release on bail if arrested. Despite this, the police remanded him to custody on 13 December 2023, and the magistrate failed to release him after the remand period, resulting in an illegal detention of about 48 …

The Bihar State Government Sec. SCL. Teachers Association, representing BSES teachers, sought enforcement of a Supreme Court‑mandated merger of the Bihar Subordinate Education Service (BSES) with the Bihar Education Service (BES). Although the Court had restored the 2006 merger resolution and quashed a 2007 notificatio…

The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) had been directed by the Supreme Court in 2011 to identify regular practitioners for voting rights under the "One Bar One Vote" principle. While the Implementation Committee was carrying out this task, the SCBA held a General Body Meeting on 16 January 2012 that passed resolutio…

The Supreme Court examined the implementation of the High Security Registration Plates (HSRP) scheme introduced under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 and the Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989. While earlier judgments upheld the Central Government's power to issue the scheme, many states failed to comply, either by delaying tende…

The Supreme Court examined the persistent failure of several State Governments and Union Territories to implement the High Security Registration Plates (HSRP) scheme mandated under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. The petitioners sought enforcement of the statutory provisions and earlier Supreme Court directions, while th…

The Gujarat High Court recorded an undertaking, made by counsel on behalf of the respondents, that certain property would not be sold until the main petition was decided. Despite this, the appellants executed multiple sale deeds in favour of various purchasers, breaching the undertaking. The High Court held the appella…

The Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board (TWAD Board) occupied land in 1991 and was directed by the Madras High Court to ensure "fair and reasonable" compensation to the landowner. The District Collector fixed the land value at Rs 200 per sq ft (based on the 2012 guideline) and the Board paid the amount, which th…

The appellant, R.S. Sehrawat, a junior engineer of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, was convicted by the Delhi High Court for contempt of court for allegedly filing a false affidavit concerning the demolition of unauthorised structures in Sainik Farms. He appealed to the Supreme Court under Section 19(1)(b) of the C…

Advocate Mahipal Singh Rana threatened a civil judge in Etah on two occasions, leading the Allahabad High Court to convict him of criminal contempt under the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971 and impose two months' imprisonment, a fine, and a ban on appearing in Etah courts until he purged the contempt. The High Court also …

The case involved a claim for compensation under Section 166 of the Motor Vehicles Act after the death of Nanag Ram, a 36‑year‑old machine operator, in a road accident. The claimants sought Rs.24 lakh, while the insurer challenged the award on several grounds. The Supreme Court examined whether the High Court should ha…

Vijay Singh Sengar filed a public interest writ petition alleging that power cuts in Madhya Pradesh were endangering patients in government hospitals and disrupting street lighting. The Madhya Pradesh High Court issued interim orders directing the State Electricity Board to provide round‑the‑clock electricity to hospit…

The petitioners, Ajayinder Sangwan and others, filed a contempt petition under the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, alleging that the Bar Council of India (BCI) willfully disobeyed Supreme Court orders dated 14 December 2017, 23 August 2017 and 24 November 2017 concerning the election schedule for State Bar Councils. The …

The appellants, originally defendants in a suit concerning a Joint Development Agreement, gave an undertaking through their counsel in 2007 not to alienate the subject property, which the trial court later incorporated into a court order. In 2011 the plaintiffs filed an application under Order XXXIX Rule 2A alleging br…

The respondents, contract Radio Operators of ONGC, were ordered by the Madras High Court in 2006 to be absorbed as Marine Assistant Radio Operators or, if no posts were available, to receive pay parity. The corporation complied with the pay‑parity direction but did not create supernumerary Marine Assistant Radio Operat…

Perry Kansagra, a father, obtained custody of his son Aditya through a series of Indian court orders, including a Supreme Court judgment directing him to secure a "mirror order" from the Kenyan court. He subsequently failed to obtain a valid mirror order, concealed the Kenyan court's refusal to register the Indian judg…

The appellants were convicted for the murder of Pyara Singh, who died after being assaulted with lathis by four accused. The trial hinged on the testimony of three eye‑witnesses, including the victim's son and wife, while the post‑mortem report prepared by the government medical officer (PW3) claimed no injuries and fa…

The Supreme Court, in response to numerous applications seeking clarification or modification of its 27 April 2012 judgment, reaffirmed that Rule 100 of the Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989 bars the use of any black film or other material on safety glasses, windscreens or side glasses of vehicles, regardless of the visual li…

The Allahabad High Court, hearing a writ petition filed by the Association of Retired Supreme Court and High Court Judges, directed the Uttar Pradesh Government to notify rules framed by the Chief Justice concerning domestic help and other post‑retirement benefits for former judges, and later held a recall application …

The murder of Aarushi Talwar and the subsequent killing of domestic help Hemraj led to a criminal trial before the Special Judicial Magistrate (CBI) in Ghaziabad. Dr. Rajesh Talwar and Dr. Nupur Talwar filed separate transfer petitions under Section 406 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, seeking to move the trial to De…

The petitioners, teachers appointed in West Bengal madrasas, filed contempt petitions seeking release of their salaries after the Supreme Court upheld the West Bengal Madrasa Service Commission Act, 2008, overturning a High Court decision that had declared parts of the Act unconstitutional. The Supreme Court had earlie…

The Delhi High Court suo motu initiated contempt proceedings against the editor, city editor, publisher and cartoonist of the newspaper Mid Day for publishing articles and a cartoon that alleged judicial impropriety by former Chief Justice Y.K. Sabharwal, deeming the publications contemptuous of the Supreme Court. The …

The Supreme Court examined the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) failure to implement the Lodha Committee recommendations, particularly the appointment of a CAG nominee to the Apex Council, despite a prior judgment dated 18 July 2016. The Court found that President Anurag Thakur had sought a letter from th…

The plaintiff, New Delhi Television Ltd, filed a civil suit against Quantum Securities Pvt Ltd and others seeking a permanent injunction restraining defamatory communications and damages. During the suit, the plaintiff filed a Notice of Motion under Order XXXIX of the CPC and obtained an ex‑parte interim injunction on …

The Supreme Court examined a criminal contempt case where three appellants were accused of forging and using bogus interim orders of the Madras High Court to obstruct the execution of a decree. The High Court had convicted them of contempt and sentenced each to six months’ imprisonment, based on investigations by the C…