The Madras high court on Friday imposed a punishment of 15 days' simple imprisonment on retired IPS officer G Sampath Kumar in a contempt of court case filed by former Indian cricket team captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
A division bench comprising Justices S S Sundar and Sunder Mohan found Sampath Kumar guilty of committing criminal contempt.
"However, taking into consideration the credentials of the respondent (Sampath Kumar), as projected by him in his written statement as well in the reply affidavit, this court, showing lenience, restricts the punishment for a period of 15 days."
"Even though a request is not received from the side of the respondent, this court is inclined to exercise its power under section 19 (3) of the Contempt of Courts Act and suspend the execution of punishment imposed on the respondent by this court, for a period of 30 days" (to enable him file an appeal).
In his contempt petition, Dhoni sought to punish Sampath Kumar for the remarks made by him against the judiciary in his written statement filed in response to a Rs 100 crore defamation suit.
Dhoni had moved the court in 2014 against the former cop for having named the popular cricketer in the Indian Premier League betting scam.
In its order, the bench said Sampath Kumar has consciously made an attempt to scandalise and to lower the authority of this court and the Supreme Court.
It was established that an affidavit or any pleading that was presented by a party before the court was an act of publication.
Sampath Kumar, by his specific words, has attacked the judiciary indecently with an intention to scandalise and undermine the dignity and majesty of this court as well as the apex Court, the bench added. -- PTI