‘Absolutely normal’ Karnan refuses medical test, calls SC judges ‘terrorists’

Kolkata, May 4 (IANS) Continuing his defiance, Calcutta High Court Justice C.S. Karnan on Thursday declined to undergo any check-up after a medical team turned up at his residence here following a Supreme Court order, and declared he was "absolutely normal".

Amid high drama, as media persons, curious onlookers and police swarmed his New Town residence here, Karnan hit out at the seven apex court judges, calling them "terrorists" and their order an insult to a "Dalit judge".

"Medical treatment is not required to (sic) me. Medical treatment is required to (sic) the patient. I am alright. I am not a patient. Yes, I am more than normal," Karnan told the team of four doctors from the state-run Calcutta Pavlov Hospital, who were assigned to conduct a test to determine his mental condition.

Karnan, who has been on a confrontation with the Supreme Court ever since the top court issued contempt charges, even invited the team of doctors inside his house and offered them tea. He told them his wife and sons were not in Kolkata and such a test can't be done without the consent of his family.

"My wife and one son is in Chennai. The other son is abroad. So in the absence of any guardian, my family, I cannot allow you to examine me, as that is legally wrong," he said.

Instead, he handed a signed letter to the doctors addressed to the chairman of the medical board constituted to examine him.

"Today you and your team came along with top police officers attached to the Kolkata Police department in order to provide medical treatment to me as per the direction/order/instruction of the Honourable Supreme Court. However, I declined to avail the medical treatment since I am absolutely normal with a stable mind," the letter said.

He alleged the Supreme Court order was an "insult" to a "Dalit judge".

"Furthermore, it's my strong view that the Supreme Court order amounts to an insult and harassment to a Dalit judge (myself)," Karnan said in the letter.

On Monday, a seven-judge Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar directed the setting up of a medical board to examine Karnan on May 4 and submit the evaluation report on May 8.

Karnan has been engaged in an over three-month long confrontation with the apex court. He is facing contempt charges for degrading the judiciary and making allegations of corruption against several Supreme Court judges.

As his housing complex 'Rosedale' swarmed with a large number of mediapersons, police team and onlookers, Karnan seemed to be relishing his multiple interactions with the media.

He spoke to the journalists both before the arrival of the medical team and also after they had left with his signed letter.

He launched an all-out attack on the apex court judges, calling them "mad" and "terrorists" and accusing them of "colluding with corrupt judges" and "sharing the corruption amount".

Karnan also termed the apex court order as a "mad order passed by mad judges" and alleged that he was being targeted.

"I am wondering how the seven judges (are) supporting corrupted judges. Why the seven judges are colluding with corrupted judges. Seven judges colluding with corrupt judges means they share the corruption amount.

"My assumption and presumption is the seven judges shared the corruption amount held by 20 judges."

"Therefore they are taking personal interest. How all of a sudden they prevented my judicial work, administrative work? Where is the provision? How did they issue a bailable warrant against me? Am I a terrorist, an anti-social element?"

"But the seven judges are terrorists, please note down," he told mediapersons, who were taken aback by his virulent attack.

Karnan then offered his "logic".

"The Pakistani terrorists are continuously attempting to disturb the Indian peace. Likewise the seven judges are continuously operating their judicial power out of law and spoiling the judiciary. Therefore they are terrorists in the judiciary."

Karnan claimed the seven judges were "not suitable" for the nation.

"My deep request on behalf of 125 crore of Indian people.... after the issuing of suo motu contempt proceedings, now the public have lost confidence and trust in the judiciary. Therefore, once again I request the seven judges to do the right thing by resigning their judicial posts," he said.

Karnan even asked the media to compare the "quality" of the orders passed by him and the Supreme Court bench.

"Compare my orders with the seven judges' orders. which are quality orders? Which are suitable for execution?" he asked.

He also had an advice for a journalist.

"Without omitting any point, incorporate in your newspaper, senior madam."

The seven judges had issued a suo motu contempt order against Karnan in February after he had in January named 20 "corrupt judges", seeking probe against them to curb "high corruption" in the Indian judiciary.

Earlier, on April 13, Karnan had passed a "judicial order" against the seven Supreme Court judges, including Chief Justice Khehar, for "violating" the Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and directed them to "appear" before him on April 28. In another order, Karnan directed the Air Control Authority in New Delhi not to allow the CJI and other six judges to travel abroad.