Chennai : Shortly after staying his own transfer order to the Calcutta High Court on Monday, Justice C Karnan of the Madras High Court told journalists that he would order registration of an FIR against two apex court judges under the Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The Supreme Court judges had earlier in the day restrained the Madras High Court Registry from allocating any work to Justice Karnan.
Claiming that he was being transferred on account of being a Dalit, he said, “I will direct the Chennai Commissioner of Police to register cases against the two apex court judges under the SC/ ST (Prevention of Atrocities Act). This is a country of discriminations, particularly on the basis of caste. I am ashamed that I am born in this country. I will give away all my birth rights and migrate to a country where such discriminations do not exist.” Justice Karnan levelled serious allegations against the Chief Justice and claimed that one of the sitting Madras High Court judges had raped a law intern (he named the victim too) in his chambers and that another judge had obtained a dubious law degree while working in the Post and Telegraph office.
When a journalist questioned him, if reporting his allegations would attract the provision of contempt of judiciary, he said, “I am hereby passing a judicial order restraining the Supreme Court and the Madras High Court from initiating contempt proceedings against the media.”
Asked how he could stay his transfer order, he shot back, “Only allocation of judicial work has been stopped. My judicial powers are still with me.” He threatened to drag all judges concerned to Parliament for a debate. “Let Parliament decide. I am innocent. When I have raised doubts and allegations against some judges, they are passing orders against me, instead of addressing them,” he charged.
Questioned why he had sent a copy of his order staying his transfer to political party leaders as well, he said he hoped leaders like Sonia Gandhi would raise their voice and support him.
