Justice C.S. Karnan, who has been on the run after the Supreme Court ordered his arrest, retired on Monday even as the Kolkata police sought the help of Tamil Nadu police to locate the absconding Justice, saying the latter is very much in his home state.
The controversial Calcutta High Court Judge has been evading arrest since May 10 after a seven-judge bench sentenced him to six months imprisonment for contempt of court. After the SC ordered his arrest, a petition to quash the order was filed in the apex court on his behalf and his son filed a petition with the President of India, seeking pardon for the beleaguered judge.
“The usual practice is that on the day of retirement, the Chief Justice, fellow judges and the bar association bid adieu to the retiring justice. But in Justice Karnan’s case all this will not happen or have not happened as there was a work ban and he did not go to the court since February,” said Karnan’s lawyer Peter Ramesh Kumar, adding that technically, Justice Karnan retired on May 9 as that was the day he last came to the office.
Karnan, who turned 62 on May 9, has been banned from performing his judicial duties, said Kumar. “How can he come to the court to perform his duties as a judge on the day of retirement when there is a work ban,” Kumar asked.
Asked if Karnan will evade arrest and continue to be on the run even after retirement, Kumar said, “He has three options—either get arrested, or go on asylum to any other country by leaving the border illegally or take presidential pardon.”
As of now, what has given strength to Karnan is that one of the judges in the seven-judge bench had retired and no final orders were issued in the controversial judge’s case. “Because one of them had retired, the matter has to be reheard,” said Kumar.
Meanwhile ,the Kolkatta Police had written a detailed letter to the Tamil Nadu police, saying Karnan is very much in Tamil Nadu and sought help to arrest the judge.
It may be recalled that in February, the Supreme Court issued a contempt of court notice against Justice Karnan for degrading the judiciary. A seven-judge bench, led by the Chief Justice of India J.S. Khehar, ruled that Karnan has to face contempt proceedings for his scurrilous letters against serving and retired judges of both High Court and Supreme Court.
