Trouble for CJP's Ratna Singh over social media posts on Delhi judge

Delhi government counsel consented to initiating criminal contempt proceedings against Ratna Singh. The Delhi High Court will independently assess whether her posts undermined judicial authority.

In Short

• Delhi govt consents to criminal contempt proceedings against CJP's Ratna Singh
• Proceedings relate to Singh's social media posts on a judicial officer
• Posts allege magistrate acted under external instructions

The Delhi government's Additional Standing Counsel (Criminal), Amol Sinha, has consented to the initiation of criminal contempt proceedings against Cockroach Janata Party legal head Ratna Singh over her social media posts about a Delhi court judicial officer, news agency Press Trust of India reported.

The matter concerns Singh's posts on social media platform X expressing dissatisfaction with an order passed by Chief Judicial Magistrate Abhinav Pandey of the Saket courts in proceedings related to her alleged detention by the Delhi Police.

Sinha granted consent following a representation by advocate Kausik Chatterjee, who sought contempt proceedings against Singh through a letter dated October 14 and a supplementary representation submitted on October 28.

In a letter dated November 2, Sinha consented to appropriate steps being taken to initiate proceedings against Singh under Section 15(2) of the Contempt of Courts Act, according to PTI.

Sinha said the posts went beyond criticism of the judicial order and, at first sight, suggested that the magistrate was acting on the instructions of an external authority.

"The said expressions prima facie suggest that the Judicial Officer was acting under the instructions of an external authority rather than independently exercising judicial discretion in accordance with law," he said.

He noted that such allegations questioned the independence and impartiality of the judicial process and could lower the authority of the court and undermine public confidence in the administration of justice.

Sinha also considered subsequent statements about the Delhi Police and the functioning of the Special Executive Magistrate system. However, he said these could not be treated as criminal contempt merely because they strongly criticised the authorities.

He clarified that his opinion was limited to the initial nature of the allegations and was not a final determination of criminal contempt. The matter would be considered independently by the Delhi High Court.

The consent allows appropriate steps to be taken to initiate criminal contempt proceedings, while the Delhi High Court will independently decide whether the allegations amount to contempt.

- Ends