The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued a non-bailable warrant against a litigant who had refused to deposit costs earlier imposed on him and then gone on to call the notice of contempt proceedings "useless" and "disrespectful." [In Re: Contempt Against Upendra Nath Dalai].A bench of Justices CT Ravikumar and Rajesh Bindal objected to the language used and asked the Balasore district Superintendent of Police to ensure that the litigant is produced before the Court on February 13.The order was passed after the bench read out the litigant's response to the notice of the contempt proceedings against him. Justice Ravikumar noted that the contemnor had replied by stating:"Sir, I decline to appear in Court because it is a useless notice from you to me. It is a disrespectful act from you to me.""Contempt again in reply to notice also ... We do not want to read it again", the bench added.It then proceeded to order,"Despite notice of bailable warrant, the alleged contemnor has made a communication. Issue Non-Bailable Warrant to be executed through District Superintendent of Police, Balasore, Odisha, so as to ensure contemnor is present in court on February 13."The bench was hearing a suo motu contempt of court case initiated against one Upendra Nath Dalai, a public interest litigation (PIL)-petitioner who had who failed to deposit costs of ₹1 lakh.These costs were imposed on him for filing a PIL to declare Satsang founder Sree Sree Thakur Anukulchandra a parmatma.
The Supreme Court had in December 2022 made it clear that India is a secular country and such 'misconceived' prayers cannot be made by way of PILs.
The order initiating contempt of court proceedings came on a miscellaneous application (MA) filed to waive the costs, which was eventually dismissed.In September 2023, the Court issued a bailable warrant against Dalai, but he has not appeared before the Court in the matter since.
TAGS: Contempt of court suo motu Upendra Nath Dalai PIL petitioner ₹1 lakh costs
