Case Note & Summary
The Supreme Court initiated suo moto contempt proceedings against N. Peddi Raju (alleged contemnor no.1), Ritesh Patil (alleged contemnor no.2), and Nitin Meshram (alleged contemnor no.3) for making scurrilous and scandalous allegations against a sitting Judge of the High Court of Telangana in Transfer Petition (Criminal) No. 613 of 2025. When the transfer petition was listed, the Court noticed the objectionable language and expressed displeasure. The petitioner sought to withdraw the petition, but the Court refused permission and dismissed the petition, issuing notice to the alleged contemnors to show cause why contempt action should not be initiated. On 11.08.2025, the alleged contemnors tendered an affidavit of apology. The Court directed them to first tender unconditional apology before the learned Judge. The High Court reopened the disposed Criminal Petition No. 4162 of 2020 for this limited purpose, and the learned Single Judge accepted the apology on 22.08.2025. The Supreme Court, after considering the apology and the High Court's order, accepted the apology and closed the contempt proceedings, discharging the alleged contemnors from the notice.
Headnote
A) Contempt of Court - Scandalous Allegations Against Judge - Suo Moto Contempt - The Supreme Court initiated suo moto contempt proceedings against the petitioner and his lawyers for making scurrilous and scandalous allegations against a sitting Judge of the High Court of Telangana in a transfer petition. The Court refused to permit withdrawal of the petition and issued notice to show cause. The alleged contemnors tendered unconditional apology before the Judge, and the Court accepted the apology, closing the contempt proceedings. (Paras 1-12)
Issue of Consideration
Whether the alleged contemnors should be punished for contempt of court for making scurrilous and scandalous allegations against a sitting Judge of the High Court of Telangana in a transfer petition.
Final Decision
The Supreme Court accepted the unconditional apology tendered by the alleged contemnors and closed the contempt proceedings, discharging them from the notice.
Law Points
- Contempt of Court
- Scandalous allegations against judicial officer
- Unconditional apology
- Suo moto contempt jurisdiction
Case Details
2025 LawText (SC) (08) 118
Suo Moto Contempt Petition (Civil) No. 3 of 2025
Varun Thakur, S. Nagamuthu, Sanjay R. Hegde
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Nature of Litigation
Suo moto contempt proceedings for making scurrilous and scandalous allegations against a sitting Judge of the High Court of Telangana in a transfer petition.
Remedy Sought
The Supreme Court sought to punish the alleged contemnors for contempt of court.
Filing Reason
The transfer petition contained scurrilous and scandalous allegations against a sitting Judge of the High Court of Telangana.
Previous Decisions
The transfer petition was dismissed by the Supreme Court on 29.07.2025, and notice was issued to the alleged contemnors to show cause why contempt action should not be initiated.
Issues
Whether the alleged contemnors made scandalous allegations against a High Court Judge in a transfer petition, amounting to contempt of court.
Submissions/Arguments
The alleged contemnors tendered an unconditional apology before the Supreme Court and later before the learned Judge of the High Court.
Ratio Decidendi
The court held that while scandalous allegations against a judicial officer constitute contempt, an unconditional apology tendered before the affected Judge and the Supreme Court can be accepted to close the proceedings, especially when the apology is accepted by the Judge.
Judgment Excerpts
When the Transfer Petition (Criminal) No. 613 of 2025 was listed before us, upon perusal of the pleadings, we noticed that scurrilous and scandalous allegations had been made against a sitting Judge of the High Court of Telangana.
We, therefore, permitted the alleged contemnors to tender their unconditional apology before the learned Judge of the High Court.
In her order dated 22.08.2025, the learned Single Judge has accepted the unconditional apology tendered by the alleged contemnors.
Procedural History
Transfer Petition (Criminal) No. 613 of 2025 was filed before the Supreme Court. On 29.07.2025, the Court noticed scandalous allegations against a High Court Judge, refused withdrawal, dismissed the petition, and issued suo moto contempt notice to the petitioner and his lawyers. On 11.08.2025, the alleged contemnors appeared and tendered an affidavit of apology. The Court directed them to first apologize before the learned Judge. The High Court reopened Criminal Petition No. 4162 of 2020 for this purpose, and on 22.08.2025, the learned Single Judge accepted the apology. The Supreme Court then accepted the apology and closed the contempt proceedings.
Acts & Sections
- Contempt of Courts Act, 1971:
