Karnan refuses medical test, says he is ‘more than normal’

Kolkata, May 4 (IANS) Continuing his battle with the top judiciary, Calcutta High Court Justice C.S. Karnan on Thursday declined to undergo any check up mandated by the Supreme Court after a medical team turned up at his residence here, and claimed he was "more than normal".

Karnan lashed out against 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," he said.

Escorted by police personnel, a team of four doctors from the state-run Calcutta Pavlov Hospital landed at Karnan's New Town residence in Kolkata's north eastern fringes in the morning, but had to leave with a signed letter that he handed them refusing to undergo the medical test.

"My wife and one son are in Chennai. The other son is in France. So in the absence of any guardian, my family, I cannot allow you to examine me," Karnan told the doctors after inviting them inside his house and offering them tea.

Karnan's letter was 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," it said.

In his letter, he termed the Supreme Court order an "insult" and harassment to a "Dalit judge".

The hospital later said they would submit his letter to the Supreme Court on Friday.

"He didn't submit for the examination. So whatever he has given in writing will be submitted to the Supreme Court by tomorrow (Friday), without any comment," a hospital source said.

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

Karnan is facing contempt charges for degrading the judiciary and making allegations of corruption against several Supreme Court judges.

With his housing complex 'Rosedale' swarming with journos and onlookers besides a police team since early morning on Thursday, Karnan seemed to relish his multiple interactions with the media.

He termed the order for his medical examination as a "mad order passed by mad judges".

"I am against corruption... 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.

"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 and should quit.

In January, Karnan wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi naming 20 "corrupt judges", and sought probe against them to curb "high corruption" in the Indian judiciary.

The Supreme Court then issued him a contempt notice, an unprecedented step against a sitting judge, and asked him to appear before the bench in person. The apex court also ordered him not to discharge any judicial and administrative functions during the pendency of the proceedings.

After Karnan failed to appear before it, the apex court on March 10, in another unprecedented move, issued a bailable warrant against him.

But the judge escalated the row by ordering a Central Bureau of Investigation probe against the seven judges.

Karnan appeared before the seven-judge bench on March 31. But he renewed the confrontation on April 13, passing a "judicial order" against the bench for "violating" the Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. He asked the apex court judges to appear before him.

Later in an order, Justice Karnan directed the Air Control Authority in New Delhi not to allow the CJI and other six judges to travel abroad.

The Supreme Court on its part has asked all authorities and tribunals not to take cognisance of any "purported" order passed by Karnan, who in turn directed the Delhi Police to conduct a psychiatric test of the seven judges.