LI Network
Published on: December 10, 2023 at 01:18 IST
The Delhi High Court has decided to close criminal contempt proceedings against a mechanical engineer, Brijesh Shukla, who previously made derogatory comments against a judicial officer and claimed that the entire Delhi judiciary was corrupt (Court on Its Own Motion v. Brijesh Shukla).
The division bench, comprising Justice Suresh Kumar Kait and Justice Shalinder Kaur, expressed the view that Shukla’s allegations appeared to stem from “sheer frustration and depression.”
The contempt proceedings were initiated in 2019 after Shukla sent a complaint via email to the Vigilance Committee for judicial officers, accusing a judicial officer of misusing power and using abusive language against the judge.
The Court took note of Shukla’s claims regarding being cheated by banks and his assertion that the judicial officer was handling “fake cases” against him to seize his foreign payment.
During the proceedings, Shukla, a graduate in Mechanical Engineering, explained that he faced financial losses from 2012 to 2022, was engaged in a legal dispute with Angelique International Ltd over payment from the Fiji government, and suffered from depression.
Upon interaction with the amicus curiae appointed to defend him, Shukla offered an unconditional apology, expressing remorse and stating that he was unaware that such comments could lead to contempt of court proceedings.
In light of this, the Court discharged Shukla from the contempt proceedings, with the order emphasizing his commitment to being cautious in the future.