Increasing Doubt about Fair Judgment when Politicians are Involved Criticized: Supreme Court Challenges Accusations against Telangana High Court Judge
Supreme Court Reprimands Litigant and Lawyers for Contempt of Court Allegations Against Telangana High Court Judge
Recent developments in the contempt of court allegations relating to Justice Moushumi Bhattacharya of the Telangana High Court have culminated in intervention by the Supreme Court of India in late July 2025.
The Supreme Court issued contempt notices against a litigant named Peddi Raju, the advocate on record, and other lawyers involved, for making "scurrilous," "scandalous," and defamatory allegations against Justice Bhattacharya. These allegations were made in a petition seeking the transfer of a case involving Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, in which Justice Bhattacharya's court had quashed certain criminal charges against the CM under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 (SC/ST Act).
A two-judge Bench comprising Chief Justice of India BR Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran issued the contempt notices, explicitly condemning the allegations as baseless attacks undermining judicial integrity and independence. The Court held the lawyers who drafted and filed the petition equally liable for the contempt, noting their role in facilitating the misconduct.
The Supreme Court emphasized that while it protects lawyers from undue summons and harassment, it will not allow judicial officers to be unfairly targeted or put "in the dock" with defamatory allegations. The Court directed the litigant and lawyers to file apologies and indicated it might consider leniency only if the apologies were sincere.
Chief Justice Gavai stated: "The judiciary cannot allow judges to be unfairly targeted or subjected to baseless allegations... such conduct against judicial officers cannot be tolerated." The Court criticized the assumption that justice would not be served when a matter involving a political figure is heard by a High Court.
This case highlights tensions between the lawyers' fraternity in Telangana High Court and Justice Moushumi Bhattacharya, who was recently transferred from Calcutta High Court. The Supreme Court has made clear that allegations attacking the honor and independence of sitting judges are subject to strict scrutiny and may lead to contempt proceedings if found defamatory or scurrilous.
In summary, the Supreme Court has firmly reprimanded the litigant and lawyers for contempt of court relating to defamatory allegations against Justice Moushumi Bhattacharya of Telangana High Court, following a boycott and protests by hundreds of advocates against the judge's conduct. The case is being heard by a Bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) BR Gavai, Justice Vinod Chandran, and Justice Atul S Chandurkar. The litigant and lawyers have been asked to apologize before Justice Bhattacharya.
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