Supreme Court Bar Association Files Contempt Petition Against Journalist Nikhil Wagle and MP Sanjay Raut

New Delhi, October 15 (Daily Kiran) : The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) has lodged a contempt petition against journalist Nikhil Wagle and Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut in the Supreme Court. This legal action stems from comments made about the Chief Justice of India (CJI). Attorney General R. Venkataramani has given his consent for the petition to proceed.

On October 11, Wagle posted a derogatory remark on the social media platform X, stating, “ you CJI!” He referenced an article from The Hindu, which reported that the CJI had rejected a request from leaders of the INDIA bloc to meet before their march to the Supreme Court.

Raut, speaking to the media on October 12, alleged that the CJI and 60 to 70 judges were seen playing badminton with BJP leaders in London. This claim has been challenged by a June 19 order from the Delhi High Court, which clarified that the viral images of the badminton game were taken during an event in New Delhi in November 2024, not London.

In his letter of consent, the Attorney General described Wagle’s post as “not only derogatory but also of a very low standard.” He further stated that Raut’s claims regarding judges participating in BJP events were “not based on any facts.” The AG deemed both statements “prima facie contemptuous,” aimed at undermining the reputation of the Supreme Court of India, particularly that of the Chief Justice.

Following this controversy, Wagle has since deleted his post and, on October 15, issued an unconditional apology to the Chief Justice and the Supreme Court in a letter to the Attorney General.