By IANS,
Kolkata : The Calcutta High Court Monday reserved its order after hearing on a petition that sought suo motu contempt of court proceedings against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for her alleged derogatory remarks against the judiciary.
A division bench of Chief Justice Arun Mishra and Justice Joymalya Bagchi heard submissions by counsel Bikash Bhattacharya and Rabishankar Chatterjee before reserving its order on whether Banerjee’s alleged comments were aimed at bettering the functioning of the judiciary or showed disrespect against it.
The bench, however, observed that the chief minister had made the comments at a seminar and that every person could have his or her personal opinion.
The judges pointed out that the chief minister had not referred to any particular case or specific court.
When Bhattacharya cited the contempt of court proceedings started by the court against Minister of State for agriculture Becharam Manna for allegedly derogatory comments against the judiciary, the court said while the minister’s comments referred to a particular order, the chief minister’s statement was not targeted at a specific order or court.
Speaking at the state assembly’s platinum jubilee celebrations Aug 14, Banerjee alleged that there were instances where court judgments had been bought for money.
“At times favourable verdicts are given in return for money. There are instances when judgments have been purchased. There is corruption among a section of the judiciary. I know there can be a case against me for saying this. But this must be said and I am ready to go to jail for saying so,” Banerjee said.
Bhattacharya, a former city mayor, then moved the court praying for suo motu contempt of court proceedings against Banerjee.