HC asks journalists to be made party in Thackeray contempt case

Mumbai, Sep 14 (UNI) The Bombay High Court today asked petitioners to make journalists party in the criminal contempt petition against Maharashtra Navnirman Sena President Raj Thackeray for allegedly threatening lawyers if they defended the July 11 serial blasts accused.

A division bench comprising Justices B H Marlapalle and N H Patil also directed the journalists who had written about the statement of Mr Thackeray allegedly warning lawyers against defending blast accused and thus made party, to file their affidavit regarding the same within three weeks.

The petition was filed by Indian Association of People's Lawyers (IAPL) and the Committee for the Protection of Democratic Rights (CPDR) after Maharashtra Advocate General Ravi Kadam gave his consent to initiate proceedings against Mr Thackeray under the Contempt of Court Act.

Mr Thackeray had allegedly warned lawyers against defending the accused in the blast case during a meeting on July 16 to condemn the July 11 serial blasts and offer his condolences to the victims relatives.

The court was earlier told that in the condolence meeting Mr Thackeray had said that his party would organise a protest against such lawyers. Therefore petitioners felt that such statement amounted to interference in the judicial process and would intimidate lawyers and deter them from appearing for the accused.

Meanwhile, on August 14, Advocate General Kadam, while giving his consent to the petitioner, had held that he was satisfied that Mr Thackeray's statement prima facie amounts to criminal contempt of court and can be proceeded against for contempt of court.

UNI ARM PM RL KN1935