New Delhi: Attorney General K K Venugopal Monday declined consent to initiate contempt proceedings against Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy and his principal advisor Ajeya Kallam for making allegations against a judge of the Supreme Court and some other judges of the state high court.
The top law officer was of the view that the “prima facie” conduct of the Chief Minister and his principal advisor was ‘contumacious’, but declined consent saying Reddy had sent the letter to Chief Justice of India S A Bobde who was seized of the matter.
Earlier, BJP leader and lawyer Ashwini Upadhyay had written a letter to Venugopal seeking his consent to initiate contempt proceedings against Reddy and his advisor.
Upadhyay had said the letter by the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister “scandalises” the authority of both the Supreme Court and the High Court and interferes with the judicial proceedings and the administration of justice.
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All are equal in a democracy. But, in Indian democratic system, some are more than equal. If the contemnor is Prashant Bhushan or Jaganmmohan Reddy, even the supreme court will swallow the insult. Supreme Court could have initiated suo motu contempt proceeding against Jaganmohan Reddy but hasn’t thought fit to do so even after over 20 days since he released the letter addressed to the CJI to the press.