Guwahati, 8 May: An advocate was given a six-month prison term by the Gauhati High Court for contempt of court. The penalty was given to advocate Utpal Goswami for making derogatory remarks about an additional district judge including criticising on her dress.
He was prohibited from acting as an advocate in any court under the jurisdiction of the High Court for a period of 15 days by the division bench comprising Justices Kalyan Rai Surana and Devashis Baruah.
The order read, “….the respondent-contemnor has not only made an unfounded vitriolic attack on the integrity and impartiality of the learned judicial official concerned but has also embarked upon character assassination of the said judicial officer. Moreover, the petitioner had also attacked this Court by making disparaging remarks on the selection process of judicial officers by questioning the sanctity of the selection process. The respondent-contemnor has questioned the sanctity of the selection of the judicial officer in the District Judiciary of the State by the Selection Committee of the Gauhati High Court by specifically referring to the “power of money”, “mal-administration”, “taking of undue advantages”, “unlawful relationship”, “predominance of illegal love and affections” and “other wrong practices” during “selection and appointment of judges and magistrates of the district judiciary in Assam.”
The bench noted that such comments made by a mature person of 52 years old would encourage other members of the bar across the nation to act threateningly and rudely towards judges whenever adverse verdicts were made against them.