THE Attorney General(AG) for India on Friday granted consent to initiate criminal contempt of court proceedings against Yati Narsinghanand over his contemptuous remarks against the Supreme Court of India.
AG K.K. Venugopal passed the order on a request made by a Mumbai-based activist Shachi Nelli seeking the consent of the former. The consent of either the Attorney General or the Solicitor General is necessary under section 15 of the Contempt of Courts Act 1971, for initiating contempt proceedings against a person.
In his order, Venugopal recorded that the statement of Narsinghanand was a direct attempt to lower the authority of the Supreme Court in the minds of the general public.
In an interview given by Narsinghanand, he was seen stating that "we have no trust in the Supreme Court of India and the Constitution. The Constitution will consume the 100 crore Hindus of this country. Those who believe in this Constitution will be killed. Those who believe in this system, in these politicians, in the Supreme Court, and in the Army will all die the death of a dog."
Aggrieved with the statement, Nelli approached the AG seeking his consent to launch criminal contempt proceedings against Narsinghanand.
On January 16, a Haridwar court had sent Narsinghanand, the organiser of the Dharma Sansad and the head priest of Dasna temple, to 14-day judicial custody.
The Dharma Sansad was held in Haridwar from December 17-19.
Presently, the Supreme Court is seized of the Dharma Sanad issue as it issued a notice last week to the Uttrakhand police on a petition alleging inaction against the speakers of the Dharma Sanad who made inflammatory speeches.