KOLKATA: In a bizarre turn of events, Calcutta High Court judge Justice Chinnaswamy Swaminathan Karnan ordered a psychiatric test of seven Supreme Court judges, including Chief Justice of India (CJI) Jagdish Singh Khehar, in response to a medical test ordered by the Supreme Court on Karnan, who is accused of contempt of court.
The High Court judge had summoned CJI and six other Supreme Court judges at his ‘residential court’ on April 28 accusing them of discriminating against him for being a Dalit. However, the apex court judges responded to his summons on Monday by ordering a medical test on Karnan.
Speaking at a press meet at his residence here on Monday, the High Court judge said that the seven apex court judges have ordered the Medical Board of Kolkata to conduct a medical test on him with assistance of the director general of police, West Bengal.
“The Supreme Court order is ridiculous and a desperate attempt of the seven accused judges to escape prosecution under SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The order passed by me against the seven accused judges is still in force,” he said.
He termed the medical test ordered by the apex court as an insult in addition to discrimination against him. “This kind of harassment against my sanity is an additional insult to an innocent Dalit judge who is of sound judgment and mind,” he added.
Karnan said that his family can prove his sanity. “My wife, an educational officer, and my two sons, who are engineers, are satisfied with my physical health and acumen of clear, alert and precise mental ability,” the Calcutta HC judge said.
The contempt of court accused judge ordered the director general of police, North Delhi to produce all the seven accused judges at a psychiatric board attached to AIIMS and produce him the report before May 7.