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In Re: N. Peddi Raju and Others

Not available · 2025 INSC 1321Decided 10 Nov 2025
Not available
Chief Justice B.R. Gavai · Justice K. Vinod Chandran

Background

While hearing a Transfer Petition (Criminal) No. 613 of 2025, the Supreme Court noticed that scurrilous and scandalous allegations had been made against a sitting judge of the Telangana High Court. When the Court expressed displeasure, the petitioner's counsel sought to withdraw the petition, but the Court refused to permit withdrawal and, after dismissing the transfer petition on 29th July 2025, issued show-cause notices for contempt to the petitioner N. Peddi Raju, the Advocate-on-Record, and the counsel who had drafted the petition.

Decision Breakdown

The alleged contemnors tendered an affidavit of apology, but the Court directed them instead to first tender an unconditional apology to the High Court judge who had been maligned, permitting them to approach the High Court for that purpose; the matter before the High Court was reopened solely for this purpose. After the High Court judge accepted their unconditional apology, the Supreme Court also accepted it and closed the contempt proceedings. The Court, however, cautioned lawyers to be careful before signing pleadings containing scandalous or scurrilous allegations against judges, reiterating (citing English legal tradition and an earlier three-judge bench ruling) that a lawyer's duty to the Court must override blind advocacy of a client's instructions, and that the majesty of the law lies in forgiving genuine acknowledgment of mistakes rather than in punishment alone.

Lesson Learnt

Lawyers are officers of the court first, and must not lend their signature to pleadings making scandalous or unsubstantiated allegations against judges; genuine remorse and an unconditional apology to the wronged judge can allow contempt proceedings to be closed, but the caution against such conduct stands regardless.

Official source (sci.gov.in)View Judgment (PDF)

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