The Delhi High Court has issued notices to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders, including Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia, in criminal contempt proceedings related to alleged attempts to scandalize the judiciary. This action stems from a single-judge Bench order on May 14, which criticized material circulated against the judiciary in a derogatory manner.
The court directed the Registry to preserve the relevant material from social media posts and other sources for review. AAP leaders like Saurabh Bharadwaj and Vinay Mishra have been given four weeks to respond to the notices. The case is scheduled for further hearing on August 4, with the court considering appointing an amicus curiae to assist in the proceedings.
The contempt proceedings were initiated following a single-judge Bench’s observation of a coordinated social media campaign aimed at scandalizing the judiciary. The court emphasized the importance of distinguishing between fair criticism and attempts to undermine the judiciary’s authority. Justice Sharma, who recused herself from the excise policy case, highlighted the need to protect the judiciary’s integrity.
