New Delhi [India], August 23 : The Delhi High Court on Friday held 12 individuals guilty of contempt of court for assaulting 11 court commisioner in Kolkata in 2015. The High Court had appointed 11 advocates as court commissioners in a matter related to a copyright violation plea filed by Samsung Electronics Company Limited in 2014.
The Division bench headed by Justice Subramonium Prasad passed the judgment and sentenced all contemnors to one day's simple imprisonment. They were also fined Rs. 2000 each.
The High Court passed the order in view of the fact that the court commisioner, alongwith the police personnel, were manhandled and they suffered serious injury.
"The Court Commissioners have been brutally beaten up by the Contemnors, striking terror in their minds and forcing them to flee from the place. The facts reveal that the idea was to dissuade Local Commissioners from performing the work assigned to them by the Court," the high court said in the judgment of August 22.
The High Court said that interfering with the work assigned to the Advocate Commissioners amounts to interference in the administration of justice.
The High Court said, " If such of those persons who have interfered with the administration of justice are not dealt with heavy hands, the majesty of law will come down in the eyes of ordinary citizens, which will have a deleterious effect on the fabric of the society."
"It is, therefore, imperative; rather, the duty of the Court is to ensure that people who interfere in the administration of justice are dealt with severely so that people respect and adhere to the law for the rule of law to prevail," the bench said in the judgment.
All the contemnors tendered an unconditional apology. The High Court was hearing a suo moto case against all contemnors that began in 2015.
The court-appointed Commissioners had gone to Kolkata to perform the duty entrusted to them by the Delhi High Court and were assaulted by the mob.
The High Court had issued notice to the Commissioner of Police, Kolkata, and the Deputy Commissioner of Police. The bench had issued a show cause notice to the contemnors.
Advocate Shravan Sahary apprised the Court that he was severely injured around his right eye, left cheek and two of his front teeth were broken in the incident, which took place during the execution of the commission as directed by this Court. He also mentioned the fact that the other Advocate Commissioners accompanying him had also been beaten up and they had to flee.