HC sentences an advocate to 3-month SI

Mumbai, Mar 5 (UNI) An Advocate was today convicted and sentenced to undergo three-month simple imprisonment and a fine of Rs 2,000 for contempt of court by the Maharashtra High Court.

A Division Bench comprising Justice Bilal Nazki and Justice Sharad Bobde asked Advicate S G Kudale to tender the fine amount forthwith with the court registry.

However, the sentence term was suspended for a month to allow him to move an appeal against the conviction order.

While convicting Kudale, the court observed that he had adpoted practice to level allegations against the judges to avoid adverse orders and that amounted to ''interference in the administration of justice'' and ''harming dignity of the court''.

Because of such tactics adopted by the advocate, at least seven Judges had ordered the court registry not to place his matters before them.

The Acting Chief Justice had, last year, initiated contempt proceedings against Kudale after several complaints from judges of the High Court were received and two judges had specifically ordered to initiate contempt proceedings against him.

After initiation of contempt proceedings, Kudale had submitted his reply, which was found to be further contemptuous. However, the judges granted him another opportunity and allowed him to file a fresh reply.

Kudale had tendered an apology which the judges refused to accept terming it as not genuine as it created an impression ''as if he was the only honest person on the Earth and everyone else was dishonest and as he was honest the judges were biased against him''.

UNI XR OBB AKJ AS2011