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 …

The Chandigarh Newsline published a headline stating that the Supreme Court had ordered the removal of the Homoeo Council chief, which was factually incorrect and misleading while the matter was pending before the Court. The Supreme Court issued a contempt notice to the reporter, Mr. K.B. Kapur, and the editor of the n…

The appellant, a practising advocate, was held by the Punjab and Haryana High Court to have contempted a Sub‑Judge by making disparaging remarks that alleged the judge was a contractor of the Municipal Committee and was colluding with the Deputy Commissioner. The High Court, relying on the Sub‑Judge’s report and the te…

A Judicial Magistrate complained that a police officer had used unwarranted language in his courtroom and sent the complaint to the Inspector General of Police, who directed a departmental inquiry. The Sub‑Divisional Police Officer (the appellant) conducted the inquiry, recorded statements of several witnesses and subm…

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 petition sought to hold the Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir, Dr. Farooq Abdullah, in criminal contempt for allegedly denouncing the judiciary in statements published in the Daily Kashmir Times. The editor of the newspaper asserted the report was accurate, while the Chief Minister denied making the statements. No …

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 …

Mahendra Pratap Yadav (Respondent No.1) had his Intermediate examination result cancelled after using a provisional marksheet to pursue further studies and employment. He challenged the cancellation, and while the Supreme Court set aside the result, it observed that if any rule permitted him to re‑appear, the Board cou…

The husband filed a contempt petition against his wife and her mother for violating an unconditional undertaking given to the Supreme Court that the child would be brought back to India and that they would appear before the Family Court when required. Despite multiple notices and adjournments, the wife remained absent …

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 dispute arose from a lease agreement where Sushila Raje Holkar leased 16,000 sq ft of a 4.8‑acre property to Anil Kak (Retd.) and claimed that the remaining 1,27,721.6 sq ft was also covered by the lease. The respondent filed suits for specific performance and injunction, while the petitioner filed eviction and ren…

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…

Bal Thackrey was convicted by the Bombay High Court (Nagpur Bench) for criminal contempt under Section 15 of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, based on two petitions filed by respondents alleging that his public speech scandalised the court. The petitions were filed without obtaining the mandatory written consent of th…

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…

Sheela Barse filed a public interest writ (Criminal) seeking the release of children detained in jails and various remedial measures. Dissatisfied with delays and alleging loss of dignity, she filed a miscellaneous petition to withdraw the main PIL, claiming a right to be the petitioner‑in‑person and to control the pro…

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 Supreme Court examined the criminal contempt proceedings against senior advocate R.K. Anand and former special public prosecutor I.U. Khan arising from a televised NDTV sting operation that captured their alleged attempts to influence a prosecution witness in the high‑profile BMW hit‑and‑run trial. The Court held t…

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 case concerned about 24.82 acres of government land that had been assigned to respondents on pattas, which the authorities later attempted to resume without paying the ex‑gratia stipulated in GO No.1307. The respondents filed writ petitions and, after a single High Court judge ordered them to make representations, …

The petitioners alleged that three respondents organised a dharna outside the Supreme Court on 30 December 2000, shouted abusive slogans attacking the integrity of the judges and assaulted the petitioners to pressure the Court into favouring their Narmada dam case. The respondents filed affidavits denying that any cont…

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 case arose from a dispute over an ad‑hoc appointment of a Public Relations Officer in the Bihar Irrigation Department. The Patna High Court, in a 1983 order, directed that the post be filled regularly within six months or the ad‑hoc appointment would terminate. The State continued the ad‑hoc appointment, leading th…

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…

In a rent‑control dispute, the Supreme Court dismissed the respondent's appeal and granted him time until 31 March 1995 to vacate the suit premises, subject to filing an undertaking. The respondent neither filed the undertaking nor vacated the premises, and filed false affidavits claiming he had handed over possession …

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 Bar Council of India filed a writ petition under Article 32 challenging Rule 11 of the Kerala High Court Rules, which bars an advocate found guilty of contempt from appearing, acting or pleading in any court until he purges the contempt. The Council argued that the rule violated Articles 14 and 19(1)(g) of the Cons…

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 Calcutta High Court, while hearing a contempt petition concerning alleged violations of a 15 September 1988 status‑quo order, allowed an oral application by Somani Builders—a party not impleaded—to remove a padlock and later directed that the builders be permitted to occupy the disputed church premises. The appella…

Roshan Lal Ahuja, a former Draftsman in the Ministry of Defence, repeatedly challenged his reduction in rank, loss of benefits and dismissal from service through numerous writ petitions, all of which were dismissed. After receiving a monetary award of Rs 30,000, he filed another petition using highly abusive and scanda…

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…

The Supreme Court dealt with a long‑running dispute concerning the absorption of about 5,000 stipendiary graduates employed under Karnataka's 1977 unemployment relief scheme into Group ‘C’ civil service posts. The Court had earlier ordered the State to fill 3,691 vacancies with these graduates and to create super‑numer…

The State of J&K filed a writ petition under Article 226 for implementation of a decree that had been modified by a compromise. The High Court issued an ex‑parte interim order on 19‑03‑1990 directing the State to give 50% of the agreed timber upon a bond, and listed the matter for hearing in May 1990. Before the schedu…

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…

Mr. Nand Lal Balwani, an advocate enrolled with the Bombay Bar Association, shouted slogans and hurled his shoe in an open court, thereby interrupting the proceedings. He was informed that his conduct was intended to intimidate the court and was charged with contempt. Balwani filed an affidavit admitting his intemperat…

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…

Advocate Ajay Kumar Pandey, after his defamation suit and subsequent revision were dismissed, filed a series of contempt petitions against judges of the High Court and subordinate courts, using scurrilous, unparliamentary and abusive language that cast aspersions on their impartiality. The Supreme Court ordered him to …

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…

The appellants, untrained assistant teachers in Bihar, were terminated and later appointed on 4 October 1994 under directions of the Supreme Court and the High Court that vacancies existing before 1 January 1992 be filled and that such appointees be paid arrears from 1 July 1992. The appellants claimed arrears of salar…

Asharam M. Jain filed a Special Leave Petition under Art. 136, alleging that the Chief Justice of the Maharashtra High Court and another judge had acted with bias and prejudice. The petition contained vitriolic accusations that the judges had deliberately harmed the petitioner and obstructed justice. The Supreme Court …

The employee Chunilal Nanda was suspended by Midnapore Peoples' Co‑op. Bank Ltd. and challenged the suspension through multiple writ petitions. The High Court, in contempt proceedings, ordered his reinstatement, payment of arrears and the revocation of his suspension, and also directed the removal of the appointed Enqu…

The Supreme Court heard a contempt petition filed by Murray & Co. against Ashok K.R. Newatia and others after the respondents filed an affidavit in a transfer petition falsely claiming that the petitioner had not sold or dealt with the disputed immovable property, contrary to the facts. The Court examined whether such …

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 …

The appellant filed an application under Sections 11 and 15 of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, alleging that a single judge of the Patna High Court had failed to comply with directions issued on 30‑03‑1999. The High Court judge, while hearing the contempt application, examined the correctness of the original order an…

The petitioners, former candidates for principal and senior lecturer posts, claimed that the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC) had willfully ignored Supreme Court orders (dated 10 Jan 2001 and 20 Feb 2002) directing it to apply a uniform eligibility criteria. The UPPSC issued an office order on 7 April 20…

The Food Corporation of India (FCI) was ordered by a trial court to deposit rent payments for a godown it leased from borrowers into the bank’s loan account, an order that the bank sought as an interim direction. The bank later filed a contempt application under Order 39 Rule 2A of the CPC, alleging FCI’s disobedience …

The workmen of Birla Textiles filed a contempt petition alleging that the management willfully disobeyed the Supreme Court's order in MC Mehta v. Union of India directing the shift of the factory to Baddi and the grant of certain benefits. The Court found that the factory was not fully functional and only 937 workmen c…

The Allahabad High Court, through its Registrar, challenged a Division Bench judgment that declared Rule 4(a) of the Allahabad High Court Rules, 1951 ultra vires Article 215 of the Constitution because it required civil contempt matters to be heard by a single judge. The Supreme Court examined whether the rule conflict…

The case arose from a dispute over the management of a society‑run school where Ram Autar Shukla (petitioner) claimed to be the duly elected manager and Arvind Shukla (respondent) contested the same. After a series of orders by the Assistant Registrar and the High Court, the Supreme Court stayed the High Court's judgme…

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 …

Reliance Petrochemicals Ltd. obtained consent from the Controller of Capital Issues to issue a large public debenture offering and sought a transfer of multiple pending writs to the Supreme Court under Article 139A. The Court ordered the issue to proceed without hindrance and vacated earlier injunctions. The Indian Exp…

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 Supreme Court entertained a writ of habeas corpus filed by Sebastian M. Hongray seeking the production of two missing persons, C. Daniel and C. Paul, who were alleged to be unlawfully detained. The respondents – the Union of India, the Ministry of Defence and the commanding officer of the 21st Sikh Regiment – faile…

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…

A writ petition (Cr) No. 296 of 1993 was filed by Smt. Birmati alleging that her two minor daughters had been kidnapped. The petition was supported by Mahila Dakshita Samiti. The Secretary of the Samiti claimed that she was threatened by Anand Singh Dangi and the village Sarpanch, Balwan Singh, to desist from pursuing …

The petitioners, former primary school teachers in Bihar, had their services terminated and sought reinstatement. The High Court directed the State to re‑appoint qualified teachers, including untrained ones where trained candidates were unavailable, and the Supreme Court, on 7 February 1991, reiterated this direction. …

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 firm Ganpat Ram Rajkumar was ordered by the Supreme Court to vacate a shop in Narnaul within six months, on the condition that it filed a "usual undertaking" confirming possession and delivery of vacant possession. The firm failed to file any undertaking and did not vacate the premises. The partners' sons subsequen…

Petitioners Mohammad Joris and others were sentenced to one month in civil jail by a Single Judge of the Bombay High Court for contempt after breaching an undertaking given in a pending suit. They appealed to a Division Bench under Section 19(1) of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, but the appeal was dismissed. The pet…

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…

Advocate R.K. Garg, appearing for a petitioner in a Rent Act matter, threw his shoe at the presiding judge after the petition was dismissed for non‑payment of process fee under Order 9 Rule 2 CPC. The judge sought to arrest him under Section 228 IPC and referred the matter to the Himachal Pradesh High Court under Secti…

O.P. Jaiswal obtained a court order that the Nagar Mahapalika would not demolish his construction pending a writ petition. The Mahapalika demolished the structure on 11 January 1987, prompting Jaiswal to seek contempt proceedings under Section 12 of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971. The Allahabad High Court issued show…

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…

Petitioners filed multiple writ petitions under Article 32 alleging various grievances, but their pleadings were deemed per se contempt of the Supreme Court. During the hearing, they disrupted proceedings, used abusive language, and one petitioner threw a footwear at the judges, all in the presence of senior law office…

The Kerala High Court directed the State to implement the 1975 Kerala Scheduled Tribes (Restriction on Transfer of Lands and Restoration of Alienated Lands) Act, but the State failed to comply, leading to multiple extensions and a contempt petition. The State subsequently enacted the 1999 Kerala Restriction on Transfer…

The petitioners alleged that the respondents, who were parties to a family property dispute, sold and transferred portions of the disputed land and allowed construction despite two interim orders of this Court dated 26‑April‑2004 and 10‑January‑2005 that prohibited any creation of third‑party interest without notice to…

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 Supreme Court examined contempt proceedings against Rajendra Sail, who had called a High Court judgment "rubbish" and alleged bias and bribery by the judges, and against the editor, printer, publisher and chief sub‑editor of the newspaper that published his statements. The Court held that such scurrilous remarks we…

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 …

The petitioners, members of the legal profession, sought suo motu initiation of criminal contempt proceedings against respondents, who were also lawyers and members of a Sub‑Committee on Judicial Accountability, alleging that they made statements disparaging judges and the judicial system. The petition relied on Sectio…

The Sub‑Committee on Judicial Accountability filed a suo motu criminal contempt petition against Justice V. Ramaswamy, alleging that a letter he wrote to the Enquiry Committee under the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968 contained sweeping allegations against judges and the judiciary. The petition invoked Section 15 of the Con…

The petitioners, instructors under Haryana's Adult and Non‑formal Education Scheme, sought contempt proceedings against the State of Haryana and the Union of India for allegedly failing to pay arrears as directed by the Supreme Court on 2 June 1988, which required them to receive pay on par with squad teachers. The Cou…

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 …

Chetak Construction Ltd. alleged that Justice R.D. Vyas of the Madhya Pradesh High Court had bought a flat from the respondent and therefore should recuse himself from hearing an appeal. The judge refused, made disparaging remarks, suggested contempt proceedings against the appellant and its lawyers, and unilaterally d…

During the hearing of a writ petition, four individuals shouted abusive language, threatened judges and one even threw a chappal at the bench in the presence of the Solicitor General and senior counsel. Justice Pasayat ordered their immediate detention and three months' simple imprisonment for contempt of court without…

The appellant, a school, appealed an order of the Director of Pre‑University Education granting promotion to an assistant teacher (respondent No.1). The respondent filed a contempt petition under Sections 11 and 12 of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, alleging wilful disobedience of the Director’s order. The Karnataka …

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…

Kumaran Silk Trade (P) Ltd. obtained a sanctioned plan for a basement, parking, ground floor and three upper floors but illegally constructed additional floors 4, 5 and 6, violating building bye‑laws and the plan. A contempt application was filed and the Madras High Court ordered status‑quo on 2 March 2001; the appella…

Dr. D.C. Saxena filed a public‑interest writ petition seeking recovery of funds from the Prime Minister, which was dismissed by a bench headed by the Chief Justice of India. He then filed a second writ petition directly against the Chief Justice, alleging bias, procedural improprieties, misuse of official facilities an…

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 …

The State of West Bengal, having acquired land under the Estates Acquisition Act, 1953, was ordered by a Land Acquisition Judge to pay compensation to certain claimants. The State later discovered that the claimants had no title to the land and sought to vacate the interim payment order of the Calcutta High Court. The …

The Supreme Court heard a suo moto contempt petition against Deputy Secretary Sanjiv Datta of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, who filed an affidavit in a writ petition concerning a cricket broadcasting dispute that alleged the Court had erred, mocked government policy, and undermined national sovereignty.…

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 …

Pritam Pal, a practising advocate, filed a writ petition for service benefits which was dismissed by the Madhya Pradesh High Court. Dissatisfied, he filed a contempt petition alleging libellous and scandalising remarks by two High Court judges who had dismissed his petition. The High Court took cognizance, held him gui…

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 DIG of Police, S.A. Khan, filed a contempt petition seeking suo moto proceedings against Chief Minister Ch. Bhajan Lal, alleging that a press statement made by the latter interfered with pending corruption proceedings before the Supreme Court. The petition also contained interlocutory applications for punishment, s…

The Supreme Court had issued directions in Writ Petition (Civil) No. 591 of 1987 ordering the reinstatement and accommodation of petitioner No. 9 and other employees of the Pension Paying Office in Pokhara, Nepal. A contempt petition was filed alleging that the respondents, including the Officer‑in‑Charge of the office…

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…

The Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (through its President) filed a contempt petition against the former Law Secretary, V.K. Agarwal, alleging that his letters demanding a report on alleged contradictory orders interfered with the Tribunal's judicial functions. The Tribunal had originally issued a single order signed by …

The Supreme Court entertained contempt petitions filed against the editors and publishers of The Sunday Tribune and Punjab Kesari for publishing a news item that falsely alleged that the sons of a senior Supreme Court judge and the Chief Justice of India had been allotted petrol pumps from a discretionary quota. The Co…

Ila Vipin Pandya, the widow of the deceased Vipin Pandya, filed a testamentary petition for letters of administration which was opposed by Smita Ambalal Patel who filed a caveat claiming creditor status. The High Court dismissed the caveat, but the matter proceeded to a civil suit where Patel quantified a claim of Rs.1…

Senior advocate L.D. Jaikwal, after being asked to appear in proper court attire before a Special Judge, left the courtroom and later submitted a written application using scurrilous language, calling the judge a "corrupt judge" and "contaminating the seat of justice" and forwarding copies to various authorities. The A…

The Supreme Court Bar Association filed a writ petition challenging the Supreme Court's order in Vinay Chandra Mishra, which suspended an advocate's licence for three years while punishing him for criminal contempt. The Court examined whether Articles 129 and 142 of the Constitution empower the Supreme Court to impose …

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…

Two minor boys were illegally detained by police to coerce a criminal suspect. The Supreme Court ordered the police to file counter‑affidavits denying the detention, but the affidavits were later found to be false and the signature of Superintendent M.S. Ahlawat was forged by a head constable on instructions from senio…

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 …

The Parents Association of Students filed a writ petition seeking regulation of professional education fees in Uttar Pradesh. After the High Court’s Single Judge gave directions, the State issued a government order allowing a medical college (run by respondent No.1, M.A. Khan) to collect fees, which the association all…

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…

Captain V. Kumar, an advocate, filed a public interest petition before the Supreme Court alleging the need to cleanse the judiciary and seeking suo motu contempt action against the Registry. The Court observed that the petition was drafted in undignified language, contained unwarranted adjectives, and the petitioner be…

Haridas Das filed an interim application in Civil Appeal No. 7948/2004 making serious allegations of corruption and immorality against the Chief Justice of India and several other judges. The Supreme Court issued a show‑cause notice, and the applicant’s reply contained even more contemptuous statements, prompting the C…

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 Supreme Court entertained a contempt petition filed by members of the Paschim Banga Rajya Bhumijibi Sangh alleging that the Court's earlier order maintaining status quo on land possession was violated by revenue officers who took over land belonging to two petitioners. The crux of the dispute was whether the Court'…

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…

Advocate S.K. Sundaram sent a telegram to Chief Justice of India A.S. Anand on 3 November 2000 demanding his resignation, threatening criminal complaints under IPC sections 420, 406, 468 and 471, a writ of quo‑warranto and a demand for Rs 3 crore. He later filed a criminal complaint before a magistrate, attaching the t…

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…

The State of Gujarat moved the Supreme Court alleging that the Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) and its leaders, as well as author Arundhati Roy, were violating interim injunctions and attempting to prejudice pending proceedings on the height of the Sardar Sarovar dam by issuing press releases, interviews, and publishing a…

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…

A single judge of the Allahabad High Court, while disposing of a contempt petition, directed that the respondent, Ved Prakash Joshi, was entitled to arrears of salary despite the absence of an explicit direction in the original order. The appellant, Director of Education, Uttarakhand, challenged this, contending that a…

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 …

Santosh Sood, having obtained a loan from State Bank of Indore, constructed a building on a disputed parcel of land and entered into a lease agreement with the bank. The Nagar Palika, claiming ownership, filed a civil suit against Sood which remained pending. Respondent Gajendra Singh (the bank) and the Nagar Palika fi…

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 petitioner, P.N. Duda, sought initiation of contempt proceedings against former Law Minister P.S. Shiv Shankar for remarks made in a Bar Council speech that allegedly disparaged the Supreme Court. The petition also impleaded the Attorney General, Solicitor General, and a newspaper editor, alleging refusal of consen…

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 father, Rama Narang, filed a contempt petition against his two sons, Ramesh and Rajesh Narang, alleging that they deliberately violated a Supreme Court consent order that required joint management of their family company, NIHL, and joint signing of cheques for transactions exceeding Rs 10 lakhs. The Court examined …

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 examined two earlier orders (9 April 1987 and 29 October 1991) that directed the regularisation of ad‑hoc doctors and the preparation of separate seniority lists for them and for doctors recruited regularly through the UPSC. The petitioners (regularised doctors) claimed the Union of India was in conte…

The Supreme Court, acting suo motu, initiated contempt proceedings against Anil Kumar Verma for submitting a forged experience certificate to oppose his wife's petition to transfer a matrimonial suit from Delhi to Unnao. The principal of the college affirmed the certificate was fabricated, and the respondent could not …

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…

The officer-in-charge of a police station arrested Jadu (the respondent) despite a certified bail order issued by the Sessions Judge. The High Court initiated contempt proceedings under Section 19 of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, found the officer guilty of contempt, and sentenced him to seven days of civil impriso…

A contempt application was filed under Section 17 of the Administrative Tribunals Act, 1985 before the Andhra Pradesh Administrative Tribunal against the Principal Secretary for wilful disobedience of the Tribunal's order. The State and the Principal Secretary challenged the Tribunal's jurisdiction in the Andhra Prades…

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…

Advocate Prem Surana, who was also an accused in a criminal case, entered the Jaipur District Court and, after his application for exemption from appearance was rejected and a non‑bailable warrant issued, verbally abused and slapped the presiding Judicial Magistrate in open court. The District Judge referred the incide…

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 case arose from an incident on 18 November 1997 in Bhagalpur where police officers, not in uniform and armed with lathis, forcibly entered the courtroom and chambers of Additional District and Sessions Judge D.N. Barai, assaulting him, court staff and lawyers while demanding the unconditional release of an investig…

The State of Maharashtra, through MHADA, filed contempt and perjury applications against P.K. Pangare alleging that he misled the Supreme Court by denying construction on land covered by a prohibitory order. Pangare had sold the land before the order, and construction was subsequently carried out by later owners, notab…

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 District and Sessions Judge of Sasaram ordered a police officer, S.I. Arun Paswan, to produce a case diary, which he failed to do, leading to a show‑cause notice under Section 349 CrPC. While the judge was hearing another matter, a group of police officers in plain clothes and uniform shouted abusive slogans outsid…

Bank of Baroda obtained a consent decree from the Supreme Court ordering the respondents, Sadruddin Hasan Daya and Shohin S. Daya, to pay a sum in instalments and to refrain from alienating three properties until the decree was satisfied. The respondents defaulted on payment and entered into a separate settlement with …

In a proceeding before the Uttar Pradesh Board of Revenue, the appellant S.K. Sarkar allegedly abused counsel Vinay Chandra Misra, using vulgar language, and was accused of committing criminal contempt of his own court and the High Court. Misra filed a petition under the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, and the Allahabad …

Bank of India sued Vijay Transport for recovery of a sum, while the respondents filed a larger counter‑claim. The High Court stayed the counter‑claim on the condition that the bank deposit Rs 16 lakhs, allowing the respondents to withdraw it only upon furnishing a bank guarantee. After the High Court later decreed in f…

The appeal challenged the Delhi High Court’s order refusing to initiate contempt proceedings against the respondents for filing written submissions after the judgment was reserved. The appellant argued that such submissions were private communications to the Company Judge and thus amounted to contempt under Section 2(c…

The Calcutta Youth Front and its president filed a contempt petition under the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, alleging that the State of West Bengal, municipal officials and the lessees of an underground air‑conditioned market had violated the Supreme Court's order of 18 August 1987 which permitted the market’s construc…

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 petitioners, aggrieved by a change in university examination dates, filed writ petitions before the Jammu & Kashmir High Court. After the High Court dismissed the petitions, the petitioners allegedly attempted to assault the Assistant Controller of Examinations outside the courtroom, leading the High Court to initi…

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…

Employees of a college filed a writ petition in the Allahabad High Court seeking regularisation of their services, which was partially granted. The order was not complied with, leading the employees to file a contempt petition under Sections 12 and 14 of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971. After the Uttar Pradesh Reorgan…

The petitioners, father and half‑brothers, entered into a "Minutes of Consent Order" that settled a series of family and corporate disputes and was incorporated into a court decree. The respondents later allegedly breached specific clauses of that consent order concerning the control of a company. The petitioners filed…

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 Rajasthan High Court had earlier quashed a seniority list of engineers prepared with retrospective effect and directed a fresh list. Contempt proceedings were initiated under Section 12 of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, and a single judge, while considering the merits, held that the respondents had not wilfully …

The Delhi Judicial Service Association filed writ petitions under Article 32 after the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) of Nadiad was allegedly assaulted, handcuffed, tied with rope and photographed by police officers, an incident that shocked the judiciary nationwide. The Supreme Court examined whether it possessed inh…

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…

The Supreme Court examined the handcuffing of under‑trial prisoners, members of the Khedut Mazdoor Chetna Sangath, while being transferred between jail and court, which was done without written authorisation from a magistrate as required by Madhya Pradesh Police Regulation 465. Earlier Supreme Court judgments (Prem Sha…

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…

M.P. Mohla, a veterinary surgeon employed by the State of Haryana, claimed entitlement to a higher promotional pay scale under the Haryana Civil Services (Revised Pay) Rules, 1998 and the Assured Career Progression (ACP) Rules, 1998. The High Court allowed his writ petition, granting the higher pay, but the State’s Spe…

J.G. Rajput, an employee of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, challenged his suspension in the Gujarat High Court, where he was initially represented by advocate B.J. Shethna. After Shethna was elevated to the bench, Rajput faced a later charge‑sheet for theft and filed a contempt petition alleging the corporation’s con…

Bharat Coking Coal Limited filed a contempt petition alleging that Ram Nath Singh and his son, after the Supreme Court ordered maintenance of the "status quo as in the High Court" on 19‑12‑1986, deliberately concealed this order, approached the Patna High Court and obtained a favourable order on 3‑1‑1987 to lift sludge…

The Supreme Court, in an order dated 16 January 1990, directed the respondent to surrender possession of premises requisitioned under the West Bengal Premises Requisition and Control Act within nine weeks, subject to any pending High Court order or acquisition of an independent right. After the Land Acquisition (West B…

T. Deen Dayal, a Rajya Sabha candidate, filed a transfer application in an election petition alleging bias and corruption against the presiding judge. The judge deemed the allegations baseless and scandalous, initiating suo moto contempt proceedings under the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971. The High Court convicted Dayal…

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,…

Pallav Sheth, a notified company debtor, was ordered by a Special Court to pay a decree and was restrained from alienating his assets. He later set up benami companies and transferred assets, which the Custodian discovered through an Income‑Tax raid. The Custodian filed an application for contempt, alleging Sheth viola…

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…