In one more twist to the case involving top cop Shankar M. Bidari, his application seeking the hearing of his case for reinstatement as DG&IGP, by another bench, has been sent back to the original bench headed by Justice N. Kumar, which had quashed his appointment.
Meanwhile current DG&IGP A.R. Infant has taken his tussle with Mr Bidari to a new level by filing for contempt proceedings. The high court has given Mr Bidari time till Friday to file objections to the contempt petition. After Mr Bidari filed an application pleading that his case be heard by another bench, the bench directed the high court’s registry to place the application before the Chief Justice for appropriate orders. The CJ headed bench on Thursday questioned the counsel for Bidari on why the division bench headed by Justice N. Kumar could not hear the case.
“Why have you (Mr Bidari) not sought for a change of bench when the SC gave its orders?,” the CJ bench observed. Mr Bidari’s advocate replied that they were apprehensive if the bench would give a proper order. After an hour of arguments, the CJ headed bench posted the matter for hearing by Justice N. Kumar. Meanwhile, a contempt application was filed by Mr Infant in which he claimed that the application filed by Mr Bidari amounted to ‘bench hunting’ and contempt of court. His counsel referred to Supreme Court verdicts which say that no lawyer or litigant should be permitted to malign presiding officers to obtain favourable orders.