The Supreme Court expressed serious concern over an alleged attempt to influence judicial proceedings, with Chief Justice of India Surya Kant cautioning about potential criminal contempt action after a litigant’s relative reportedly contacted his family member regarding a court order. CJI Kant strongly criticized the incident during a medical admission-related hearing and questioned the behavior of the petitioner’s father, suggesting contempt proceedings against him.
The Chief Justice emphasized the need to verify the facts and urged the counsel in the case to address any misconduct by the client promptly. He warned against such attempts to influence the judiciary, stating that he has dealt with such situations for over two decades and knows how to handle such individuals. The counsel, expressing ignorance about the alleged conduct, apologized before the apex court.
In a case involving two candidates from Haryana seeking admission under the Buddhist minority quota in a private medical college in Uttar Pradesh, doubts were raised about the authenticity of their claimed conversion. The Supreme Court highlighted concerns about the misuse of minority status for admissions and questioned the eligibility of candidates from a traditionally non-minority background seeking such benefits. The court directed the Chief Secretary of Haryana to provide guidelines on issuing minority certificates and clarify the eligibility criteria for claiming minority status.
