नवीनतम
SC stays HC order on contempt case against H D Kumaraswamy
NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: The Supreme Court on Thursday put on hold an order passed by the Karnataka High Court, impleading Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy in a contempt proceeding.
The matter came up before a bench comprising Pankaj Mithal and Prasanna B Varale. Kumaraswamy was represented by senior advocate C Aryama Sundaram, along with advocates Balaji Srinivasan, Nishanth A V, and Harsha Tripathi. Advocate Prashant Bhushan appeared on caveat for Samaj Parivartana Samudaya.
After hearing submissions, the bench said that the high court order impleading Kumaraswamy as accused in a contempt case should be kept in abeyance. The court also orally questioned the rationale behind continuing the contempt proceedings, against the backdrop of closure of the Lokayukta inquiry.
The bench issued notice to NGO Samaj Parivartan Samudaya on a petition filed by former Karnataka Chief Minister and JD-S leader. The bench sought a response from the NGO within four weeks.
The matter is in connection with the long-standing dispute arising from a complaint filed in 2011 before the Karnataka Lokayukta regarding alleged encroachment in Kethaganahalli Village, Bidadi Hobli, Ramanagara Taluk. The NGO, in 2020, filed a writ petition before the Karnataka High Court seeking an inquiry into the alleged encroachment pursuant to the Lokayukta’s order. The high court in January 2020, disposed of the petition on being assured that the state would conduct an inquiry.
Kumaraswamy, though arrayed as a party, was not issued notice in those proceedings. Subsequently, the NGO initiated contempt proceedings before the high court alleging non-compliance with the January 14, 2020 order. Initially, Kumaraswamy was made a party to the contempt proceedings, but his name was deleted later from the array of parties by the high court itself. The Karnataka Lokayukta formally closed the complaint on March 03, 2021.
