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Suraz India Trust v. Union of India

Miscellaneous Application · Neutral citation not assigned (Miscellaneous Application No. 1630 of 2020)Decided 29 Sept 2021
Miscellaneous Application No. 1630 of 2020
Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul · Justice M.M. Sundresh

Background

This is not a final judgment. The Court had earlier imposed costs of Rs. 25 lakh on Rajiv Daiya, chairman of Suraz India Trust. Mr. Daiya then wrote threatening letters to the President, the Attorney General and sitting judges, demanded recusals and later offered an apology that the Court rejected.

Decision Breakdown

This is not a final judgment. On the application about recovering the costs, the Court directed the Rajasthan government to recover Rs. 25 lakh as arrears of land revenue and closed that application. It also held Mr. Daiya guilty of contempt for trying to scandalise the Court. It did not impose a sentence; it listed the matter to hear him on the question of sentence, giving him one more chance.

Lesson Learnt

Threatening letters to judges and constitutional authorities can amount to contempt. The sentence in this case was still to be decided.

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

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