Contempt action: Ex-judges ask HC bench to wait for CJI's decision

EIGHT retired Madras High Court judges have appealed to a bench of Justices G R Swaminathan and K Rajasekar to drop the contempt action proposed against advocate S Vanchinathan for writing a letter to the Chief Justice of India (CJI) seeking an inquiry against Justice Swaminathan for allegedly demonstrating casteist and communal bias while discharging his judicial duties.

- EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ Madurai

A bench of Justices Swaminathan and Rajasekar had on Thursday summoned Vanchinathan to the court and said that his actions prima facie amounted to criminal contempt of court. It had also asked Vanchinathan whether he stood by his statement.

Since Vanchinathan sought for a 'written' query from the bench, an order was passed directing him to reply to the above question in-person on Monday at 1.15 pm.

In a letter on Saturday, the eight former judges — Justices K Chandru, D Hariparanthaman, C T Selvam, Akbar Ali, P Kalaiyarasan, S Vimala, K K Sasidharan and S S Sundar — appealed to the division bench not to initiate any action against the advocate at this stage.