Justice Karnan 'sentences' CJI and other SC judges to 5 years in prison

Calcutta high court judge Justice C S Karnan, who is facing contempt charges, on Monday "sentenced" Chief Justice of India J S Khehar and seven other judges of the Supreme Court to five years rigorous imprisonment.

He named members of the apex court's seven-judge bench, comprising the Chief Justice of India, Justices Dipak Misra, J Chelameswar, Ranjan Gogoi, Madan B Lokur, Pinaki Chandra Ghose and Kurian Joseph.

The bench had initiated suo motu (on its own) contempt proceedings against Justice Karnan and restrained him from performing judicial and administrative work.

Justice Karnan also added another Supreme Court judge Justice R Banumathi in the list against whom the order was passed for having restrained his judicial and administrative work along with CJI Khehar.

Justice Karnan had on May 4 declined to undergo a mental health checkup as ordered by the Supreme Court, telling a team of doctors he is "absolutely normal" and has a "stable mind".

The apex court had taken suo motu cognisance of various letters written by Justice Karnan against judges of the Madras high court and the Supreme Court and restrained him from exercising administrative and judicial power from February 8.

Justice Karnan appeared before the Supreme Court on March 31 in connection with the contempt proceedings, becoming the first high court judge to do so in the history of Indian judiciary.