Calcutta HC expresses anguish over Abhishek Banerjee's derogatory remarks against judiciary

Kolkata: A single-judge vacation bench of the Calcutta High Court on Thursday expressed anguish over some reported derogatory comments made by the Trinamool Congress General Secretary and the party's Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha member Abhishek Banerjee accusing a section of the Judiciary as "biased".

The occasion was the final hearing on a petition by Abhishek Banerjee, also the nephew of the former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, seeking restoration of his "Z-Plus" security. The final hearing was taking place at the single-judge vacation bench of Justice Krishna Rao.

During the hearing in the matter, the state government Counsel and the state's Additional Advocate General, Billawdal Bhattacharya, drew the attention of the court to a recent social media message made by the Diamond Harbour MP accusing the Kolkata Police of maintaining constant surveillance around his residence and snooping on him.

Bhattacharya claimed that in the social media message, Abhishek Banerjee made some remarks that directly challenged the country's judicial system and the dignity of the courts, and therefore he should be booked under contempt of court charges.

"I am submitting an interview of the plaintiff to the court. That interview amounts to contempt of court. He has insulted the judges, even mentioned their names. The court cannot be fooled like this. This is contempt of court. Criminal action should be taken against him (Abhishek Banerjee)," the Additional Advocate General said.

Thereafter, Abhishek Banerjee's Counsel said that his clients' comments were in the context of certain developments where petitions filed by him were pending before the the court for several months.

Thereafter, Justice Rao expressed his displeasure after this comment.

In very strict language, Justice Rao ordered Abhishek Banerjee's lawyer to submit a complete list of which judges are with the Bharatiya Janata Party and which are with the Trinamool Congress.

"Ask your client (Abhishek Banerjee) which judges are with the BJP and which are not! He thinks he is very intelligent. Ask him to give a list; I will look into it," Justice Rao said.

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