SC issues contempt notice to Yati Narsinghanand for remarks against top court

The Supreme Court on Friday issued a contempt notice to Haridwar hate speech accused Yati Narsinghanand for passing remarks against the judiciary in an interview to a YouTube channel in January last year.

A bench of justices AS Bopanna and MM Sundresh issued notice to the head priest of the Dasna Devi Temple at Ghaziabad on a petition filed by social activist Shachi Nelli.

The petition, argued by senior advocate Nitya Ramakrishnan, furnished excerpts of the interview from 14 January 2022 where Narsinghanand was quoted as saying, “We have no trust in the Supreme Court and the Constitution.”

“Those who believe in the Supreme Court of India will die a dog’s death,” he was quoted as saying in the interview that was given in the context of the hate speech incident at a Dharam Sansad organised at Haridwar in December 2021.

The petition said, “The contemnor has a huge reach and influence, and his statement has been spread far and wide by his followers and sympathisers leading to widespread disaffection for this court, thereby undermining the authority and bringing its majesty into disrepute.”

Seeking action against Narsinghanand under Section 15 of the Contempt of Courts Act, the plea further stated, “The danger imminent to ordinary people and litigants to an armed and militant band of people who appear to know neither fear of the law nor any consequence of breaking the same calls for the strongest action by this court.”

For initiating contempt proceedings, one must obtain consent of the Attorney General of India under Rule 3(c) of the Rules to Regulate Proceedings for Contempt of Supreme Court, 1975.

In this case, the then Attorney General KK Venugopal granted consent to the petitioner on January 22 last year to file the contempt case, after being satisfied prima facie that the statement made by Yati Narsinghanand tends to diminish the image of the Supreme Court in the minds of people.