Contempt plea in HC against TMC's Abhishek Banerjee for alleged remarks on judiciary

Alleging that Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee made derogatory remarks about the judiciary, a senior advocate on Monday moved the Calcutta High Court seeking suo motu cognisance of his comments and initiation of contempt proceedings against him.

Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam asked senior advocate Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya to mention the issue before a three-judge bench hearing a suo motu contempt over the alleged locking of Justice Rajasekhar Mantha's courtroom from outside, and pasting of derogatory posters outside his residence in south Kolkata.

"The particular person has gone on record alleging the high court is giving protection to the anti-socials," Bhattacharya submitted.

He submitted that Banerjee blamed a section of the judiciary for the deaths during the panchayat poll process in the state.

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Claiming that the alleged remarks on the judiciary have a serious impact on the majesty of the court, Bhattacharya verbally prayed before the division bench presided by the chief justice to take suo motu cognisance of the TMC national general secretary's comments.

Bhattacharya, also a CPI(M) Rajya Sabha member, prayed that the two matters -- the alleged contempt of Justice Mantha's court and the alleged comments of Banerjee, be taken up for hearing together by the three-judge larger bench.

The chief justice said that the larger bench will sit later this week as per the time availability of the other two judges and the matter can be mentioned before it.

The larger bench comprises the chief justice and justices IP Mukerji and Chitta Ranjan Dash.