Court appoints lawyers for contempt plea against Mamata

Kolkata, Sep 26 (IANS) The Calcutta High Court Wednesday appointed two senior counsel as amicus curiae to look into the matter of criminal contempt against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for allegedly making derogatory remarks against the judiciary.

A division bench of Justice K.J. Sengupta and Justice A.K. Mondal, while hearing the petition by former Kolkata mayor Bikash Bhattacharya, directed filing of affidavits along with newspaper reports and CDs containing Banerjee's speech be made available to the two senior counsel, Hirak Mitra and Ranjan Deb.

During the hearing, Bhattacharya contented that there was enough evidence to initiate criminal contempt proceedings against Banerjee.

Referring to a prior such instance, he said that contempt notices have been issued against chief ministers for making remarks against the judiciary on the basis of media reports.

The court also directed camera persons of two news channels who recorded the chief minister's speech in the West Bengal assembly on Aug 14. where she allegedly made the comments. to file an affidavit stating that they were present at the spot.

The court had earlier directed two national dailies that had carried stories in this regard and two TV channels, which had telecast programmes on the issue, to file affidavits in this matter.

Speaking on the occasion of the assembly's platinum jubilee celebrations, Banerjee in August said: "At times favourable verdicts are given in return for money. There are instances when judgments have been purchased. There is corruption among a section of the judiciary."

The Supreme Court had dismissed a similar contempt petition against the chief minister.

The matter will come up for hearing again on Thursday.