Retired Justice CS Karnan, who was facing a six-month jail term ordered by the Supreme Court, was arrested by the Coimbatore Police on Tuesday, ANI reported. Karnan was missing since May 9, which is when the apex court had passed the verdict against him.
Karnan had in January 2017 accused several Supreme Court and High Court judges of discriminating against him because he is a Dalit. A contempt notice was issued against him in February for degrading the judiciary. The Supreme Court bench, headed by Chief Justice JS Khehar, had rejected his demand to be allowed to discharge his judicial duties. He was also directed by the Supreme Court to undergo medical tests to check his psychological condition, though had refused to participate in this.
On May 9, the Supreme Court had held the Calcutta High Court judge in contempt of court and had sentenced him to six months in prison. A team of the West Bengal Police has been stationed outside Karnan’s Chennai residence since May 10, since he had been untraceable since the verdict.
Karnan had been appointed a Madras High Court judge in 2009, and was moved to the Calcutta High Court in 2016. Karnan had retired from his post on June 12.
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