Advocate General issues notice to S Gurumurthy over contempt proceedings sought to be initiated by lawyer for "scandalising speech" on judges

Advocate General of Tamil Nadu, Vijay Narayan has issued notice to the editor of the Thuglak magazine, S Gurumurthy to appear before him on February 16 in relation to contempt proceedings sought to be initiated by a lawyer over certain remarks on Judges made during a recent magazine event. .The matter is expected to be taken up for admission on February 16 at 4 pm. ."... notice is hereby given to the Counsel for Petitioner and to the Respondent to appear before the Learned Advocate General of Tamil Nadu either in person or through Counsel on 16.02.2021 at 4.00 p.m, on which date the above application will be heard", reads the communication issued by the Advocate General. .The contempt proceedings have been sought to be initiated by Advocate S Doraiswamy, who had alleged that in a January 14 speech, Gurumurthy commented that "most of the Judges are dishonest and meritless and obtained the post of the High Court Judge by falling in the legs of politicians.".The speech had also prompted another lawyer, Advocate P Pugalenthi to file a petition in the Madras High Court urging it to initiate contempt proceedings against Gurumurthy on its own motion. ."The respondent (Gurumurthy) unhesitatingly says during his speech that many of the judges got their appointments by prostrating at the feet of the politicians and therefore they would be sympathetic to the corrupt politicians. Thus the respondent has minced no words in announcing to the whole world that there would not be justice at the hands of the judges who were appointed by the politicians", reads the petition filed by Pugalenthi. .Both lawyers assert that the Thuglak Editor's remarks have scandalised the Court and constitute criminal contempt..Doraiswamy adds that while the police recently arrested former High Court judge, Justice CS Karnan for certain remarks against the judiciary, the Government of Tamil Nadu is reluctant to take action against Gurumurthy "since he happened to be a strong man in BJP.".It is also pointed out that Gurumurthy had drawn contempt proceedings from the Delhi High Court for his remarks against Justice S Muralidhar (now Chief Justice of the Orissa High Court) after the judge ordered the release of activist Gautam Navlakha in the Bhima Koregaon case. In that case, Gurumurthy was eventually let off after he unconditionally apologised for his remarks..Gurumurthy has already expressed regret over his comments and explained that they were made erroneously and in the heat of the moment. In a statement released online, the editor said, .“In the course of my response, my intent was to say how some candidates for the judges -- for even the highest courts -- go and beseech politicians for support. But, in the spur and heat of the moment, I mentioned judges instead of candidates. It is an error. For which, I regret"