Attorney General KK Venugopal had recently refused to initiate contempt of court case against former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi for his statements against the judiciary and the Supreme Court. The consent of the Attorney General or the Solicitor General is required before the Supreme Court can hear a criminal contempt petition filed by a private citizen, according to Section 15 of the Contempt of Courts Act and Rule 3 of the Rules to Govern Proceedings for Contempt of Supreme Court.
The request for contempt of court was filed by activist Saket Gokhale on 23rd February. Mr. Gokhale stated that the former Chief Justice has made strong and harsh remarks against the Court during an interview hosted by India Today on the 12th of February. In the interview, the Former Chief Justice stated the judiciary was “ramshackled.”
Attorney General KK Venugopal refused to initiate the contempt proceedings against Justice Gogoi as the criticism viewed his “deep frustration with the ills that undoubtedly beset the justice delivery system.”
