KAMAL SINGH BALDEO SINGH THAKUR Vs. GAUTAM SHARMA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THIS question is filed by Kamal Singh with a request that suitable action be taken against all the non-petitioners under the Contempt of Courts Act.

(2.) THE petitioner has stated that he lodged a report against one Nanne Khan under Sections 452 and 506 I. P. C. at Police Station Shivpuri, that the Police aftar arresting Nanne Khan submitted a Challan before a First Class Magistrate, Shivpuri and the case was numbered as No. 385/60. It is alleged that the Editor of Nav Prabhat, a Hindi daily paper published a news item and that the Superintendent of Police took some disciplinary action against the Sub-Inspector who challaned the case. It is contended that the news item and the action taken by the Superintendent of Police are calculated to prejudice the trial of his case.

(3.) FROM the news item, mentioned in the petition, it seems that it is about a protest made by all political parties against the action of the Sub-Inspector, who paraded a teacher, with handcuffs on, in the street. It is alleged that Nanne Khan, the accused in the case, was a teacher, who was paraded in the street. The protest by Political parties and the publication of it in. the daily paper can hardly prejudice the trial. Nothing is said about the merits of the trial and the news relates to the high-handedness with which the Police acted. I am quite clear in my mind that this does not constitute contempt of court, because as Oswald has defined it, contempt of court is that conduct which tends to bring the administration of law into disrespect or disregard or which prejudices litigants or their witnesses during litigation.