New Delhi: Chief Justice of the Madras High Court Sanjay Kishan Kaul has requested Chief Justice of India H.L. Dattu to transfer Justice C.S. Karnan of the same High Court to some other High Court before things become out of control.
In a letter received by the CJI a few days ago, Justice Kaul wrote “there are serious complaints of impropriety and lack of integrity against Justice Karnan.” The CJ said “though the CJI is aware of the past history, I am obliged to make a reference to the past events, only with a view to highlight that he is stepping up pressure upon the Chief Justice, the other learned judges, the staff and the bar, slowly and gradually with an impression that it will go unchecked.”
He said “I am conscious of the fact that right from 2011, several reports have been sent to the Supreme Court, by each of my predecessors without exception about Justice Karnan’s quirks. Therefore, I was really in two minds as to whether I should disturb you with one more report, especially having apprised you personally of some events recently. But, what has happened in the past couple of days has compelled me to submit this report to you so that any further damage to the reputation of the court could be averted, if possible.”
Summarising Justice Karnan’s conduct, the CJ said “...inability to get along with any of his colleagues; his perception that he is ragged by his colleagues; his targeting several judges, especially Justice V. Dhanapalan and Justice S. Manikumar; the threats held out by him to other judges; abusive language to his colleagues, including women judges; inability to render judgments in open court and also within any time frame; his obsession with particular rosters, considered him to be high potential cases and the harassment of officers in the Registry both in his Chambers and in open court where he makes vituperative remarks against the Chief Justice and other judges embarrassing them in the presence of lawyers.”
He said he was endorsing the recommendation for transfer of Justice Karnan out of Madras High Court. He said “if no action is taken at least now, it can never happen.”
