Justice Karnan Files Mercy Petition, Seeks Stay on Jail Term

Counsel Peter Ramesh Kumar said that the mercy plea was filed under Article 72 1B of the Constitution.

Justice CS Karnan. (Photo: PTI)

Calcutta High Court Justice CS Karnan filed a mercy plea before President Pranab Mukherjee seeking a stay on his six-month jail term awarded by the Supreme Court.

Counsel Peter Ramesh Kumar told IANS that the plea was filed on 17 May under Article 72 1B of the Constitution.

Article 72 states that the President shall have the power to grant pardons, remissions of punishment or to suspend or commute the sentence of any person convicted of an offence.

However, the President’s office has said that it is not aware of any such representation.

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Earlier, Karnan’s counsel had said that since he is set to retire in June, sentencing him will delay clearance of his retirement benefits. High Court judges get paid out of the Consolidated Fund of India.

Justice Karnan was found in contempt of court for hurling corruption charges against Supreme Court and High Court judges.

On 11 May, he moved the Supreme Court seeking a suspension of his six-month sentence.

Also Read: Justice Karnan’s Jail Term: SC Says He Has to be Seen as a Citizen

Meanwhile, there is still no trace of Justice CS Karnan who has been missing since 10 May.

Police had earlier searched for him in Chennai, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu-Andhra Pradesh border, but were unable to locate him.

We are punishing him for contempt of Indian judiciary as well as judicial process and his act was of greatest nature of contempt

Chief Justice JS Khehar

(The story was first appeared on The News Minute and has been republished with permission)

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