Kerala High Court Fines Lawyer ₹1 Lakh for Abusing Contempt Petition Process
The Kerala High Court has imposed a ₹1 lakh cost on lawyer PM Kurian for filing a contempt of court petition against a judicial officer, the opposing parties, and their counsel. Justice C. Jayachandran criticized the petition as an attempt to intimidate and undermine the judicial process.
The court observed that the lawyer’s actions were intended to “discourage and frighten” the judicial officer and the opposing side, labeling the petition as “mischievous, frivolous, and vexatious.” Justice Jayachandran emphasized that such conduct undermines the integrity of the legal profession and warrants stern action to prevent abuse of court processes.
In this case, Kurian sought contempt proceedings against the Additional Munsiff Court’s judicial officer in Kottayam, along with the opposing parties and their counsel. Kurian had previously challenged two orders from the Munsiff Court, one of which remanded the matter back for fresh consideration and the other permitted amendments to the opposing party’s petition. Kurian alleged that these actions amounted to contempt and that the judicial officer had colluded with the opposition.
However, the High Court found no merit in Kurian’s claims. It dismissed the petition outright, stating that the judicial officer’s actions did not constitute contempt and that the allegations against the opposing parties and their counsel were “grossly unbecoming.” The court underscored the necessity of addressing such frivolous petitions to protect the judicial system from misuse.
The ₹1 lakh cost imposed on Kurian is to be paid to the Kerala State Legal Services Authority within a month. The court also referenced the Supreme Court’s judgment in *SK Sarkar v. Vinay Chandra Misra*, which stresses the responsibility of lawyers to uphold the dignity of their profession. Kurian’s legal representation included advocates Vadakara VVN Menon and NS Gopakumar.
(With inputs from agency)
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