Karnan forwards memorandum to Rajnath seeking remission of jail term

New Delhi: The advocates for Justice CS Karnan, guilty of contempt of court, on Saturday met Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh seeking an expeditious and favourable consideration of the memorandum, which Justice Karnan had sent to President Ram Nath Kovind.

The home minister was also pleased to give a patient hearing and assured Karnan that the representation will be considered expeditiously.

Karnan earlier made a representation before Kovind, seeking remission of his jail term.

The said representation was handed over to the President by hand, by post and by electronic means.

Karnan also sought an audience from Kovind and Singh.

Earlier, the said memorandum had been represented before the additional private secretary of former president Pranab Mukherjee too.

On July 3, the Supreme Court rejected a plea for a hearing on the bail of Justice Karnan.

Justice Karnan had moved the apex court seeking his release and cancellation or suspension of the jail sentence in the contempt of court case.

Justice Karnan was arrested by the Kolkata Police in Coimbatore.

On June 7 as well, the apex court refused to grant relief to Justice Karnan in the contempt of court case where he was sentenced to six-month imprisonment.

The apex court earlier on May 19 rejected Justice Karnan's plea for recall of the six-month jail term for contempt of court, stating that the petition was "not maintainable" in the court.

The top court had taken suo motu cognizance of numerous letters written by him against judges of the Madras High Court and the apex court and restrained him from exercising administrative and judicial powers from February 8.

Karnan is the first ever sitting judge of a higher court in judicial history to be sentenced to jail term.