Madras HC judge threatens to lodge FIR against SC judges

Unfazed by the Supreme Court order, Madras High Court judge Justice C S Karnan has said that he would "order" lodging an FIR under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities Act) against the two Apex court judges who have directed that he be not given any judicial work.

Asserting he still had his judicial powers, Justice Karnan told reporters he would pass a "suo motu judicial order" to the Chennai Police Commissioner to register FIR against the two judges of the Supreme Court.

Repeatedly alleging that he was a victim of 'caste discrimination', Justice Karnan said, "If my birth right is cancelled, I will migrate to a country where there is no such discrimination."

He also levelled various allegations against the Madras HC Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul.

Claiming he was innocent, Justice Karnan said he would "drag" all the judges of the Madras high court to Parliament for a debate.

Meanwhile, Senior Counsel S Kasi Ramalingam, Tamilarasan and Madras Bar Association president Govindaraj made a mention of the matter before the first bench comprising Chief Justice Kaul and Justice M M Sundresh about the remarks made by Justice Karnan during his media interaction.

Contending that the judge's remarks were "contemptuous", they sought a direction from the bench seeking to restrain the media from telecasting or publishing those.

However, Justice Kaul declined to pass an order, saying "The press owes the responsibility".

Earlier in the day, Justice Karnan courted yet another controversy by "staying" CJI's order transferring him to Calcutta High Court. The apex court, however, late in the evening suspended Karnan's order with a direction that he will not be assigned any judicial work.