ASHOK ARORA Vs. O.P. SHARMA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) AN Interview purported to have been given by the Contemnor - O.P. Sharma, Advocate as President of the District Bar Association, Faridabad, to a local T.V. Channel, "Aap Ki Aawaz" which was telecast live on April 3, 2001, April 14, 2001 and October 24, 2001 in which the Contemnor is alleged to have made derogatory remarks against some Members of the Subordinate Judiciary, has led to the initiation of these criminal contempt proceedings.

(2.) THE petitioner has averred that the contemnor (respondent) though an Advocate but is actually a muffled criminal against whom a number of criminal cases are pending including the cases initiated on the complaints made by the Judicial Officers; that several criminal contempt petitions including those initiated by this Court suo motu, bearing Nos. 5 of 1999, 18 of 1999, 25 of 1999, 3, 4 and 17 to 20 of 2001 are pending in this Court wherein serious allegations of abusing the Presiding Officers of the Courts below and/or intimidating them, are levelled against the contemnor. Brief facts of some criminal cases pending against the contemnor have been given, apart from a specific reference to a case registered under the provisions of the Prevention of Untouchability Act on the complaint of a Judicial Officer.

(3.) ACCORDING to the petitioner, the contemnor again gave an interview on April 14, 2001 to the same channel in Hindi and the translated version of its relevant extracts reads as follows:-