AG's consent for contempt case on AIADMK MPs sought

Chennai, June 6 (UNI) A petition was today presented to Advocate General (AG) for his consent to initiate contempt of court proceedings against 12 AIADMK MPs for allegedly casting aspersions on a particular judge in their representation to the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DV and AC).

Advocate General R Viduthalai, before whom the petition was presented by Mr B Ullasavelan, issued notice, returnable on June 20, to AIADMK MPs P G Narayanan, N Jothi, T T V Dinakaran, K Malaisamy, Thanga Tamil Selvan, Gokula Indira, S S Chandran, S P M Syed Khan, C Perumal, R Kamaraj, S Anbalagan and N R Govindarajan.

In his petition, Mr Ullasavelan submitted the MPs in the representation dated May two, 2007 deliberately cast aspersions on a particular judge which was disparaging in character and derogatory to the dignity of the court.

The statement was clearly calculated to scandalize the particular judge in relation to judicial matters and in discharge of judicial functions.

It was not only disobedience of the judicial order of the court or interference with the judicial proceedings that constitute contempt but equally, interference in exercise of judicial functions by the court also was a contempt and any attempt to interfere with the administration of justice cannot be so lightly viewed and it amounted to criminal contemt of court, he added.

Being MPs they had a responsible role to play and were expected to remain as a pillar for the democracy. But they were now indulging in scandalizing and mud slinging against the judiciary to settle political scores.

They cannot claim any immunity from the operation of law of contempt as their act was calculated and amounted to interference with the administration of justice.

Though such complaint given by them were made to gain dirty political mileage, it was also aimed it sabotaging the independence of judiciary such incidents and tends to lower the reputation and image of judiciary in a common man's view, he contended.

UNI