'Scandalising judicial system': Punjab and Haryana HC frames charges against clerk

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana high court on Wednesday framed charges against a lower court clerk in Punjab for scandalising the judicial system through a 'YouTube' account, titled 'Ugly Face of Indian Judiciary. In his videos on YouTube, the court clerk had allegedly uploaded videos lambasting judicial officers by "levelling false allegations and conveyed wrong message to the public and discouraged the public from getting justice from the court of law."

A division bench, comprising Justice Jaswant Singh and Justice Sant Prakash, pronounced the order on Wednesday while hearing a suo motu contempt of court petition against Harmeet Singh a clerk in the court of additional civil judge (senior division), Budhlada, Mansa district of Punjab.

"That uploading such videos which scandalize the whole judicial institution and particularly the names of the judges of this court do not come under the purview of liberty of free expression. Such unfounded, unwarranted and irresponsible aspersions against the judges or courts, which sub-serve the public interest in reasonable measure, is certainly an attack on the judges' integrity and is offensive, intimidatory and malicious," observed the bench in its order framing the charges.

Was punished already, says court staffer

A total of five charges have been framed against the judicial employee — uploading videos on social media, making statements against judiciary and judges, concocting stories of corruption, bribery and nepotism prevailing in judiciary, scandalising the judicial system and discouraging public from getting justice from the court of law. The will now be heard on September 24.

In this case, the contempt proceedings were moved against Harmeet Singh, pursuant to a reference by the district and sessions judge, Ludhiana, wherein the respondent joined the sessions division, Ludhiana in March 2009 as clerk. Due to administrative convenience, he was posted at Jagraon but he kept on pressurizing the competent authority for transferring him back to Ludhiana.

Later, he submitted an application for his posting as clerk to the deputy commissioner, Pathankot, through the district and sessions judge, Ludhiana, being his parent department. Thereafter, he started filing applications under the Right to Information Act, as also frivolous complaints, for venting his ire against the district and sessions judge and other judicial officers of the sessions division, Ludhiana. Besides, he opened an You-Tube account titled 'Ugly Face of Judiciary', where he openly criticised the judicial system. Harmeet, however, has been arguing that he has already been punished by ordering the stopping of four increments, for which an appeal is pending.