Just like in Suraz India Trust case, the CJI also restrained the petitioner from filing any more PILs or petitions in the apex court
Chief Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar is in a mood to intensify the crackdown against filing of frivolous, petitions and wasting the court’s time
Two months after imposing a cost of Rs 25 lakh on NGO Suraz India Trust for filing 64 cases in various High Courts and the apex court and restraining its Chairman from filing any more PILs in the SC, the bench headed by the Chief Justice today refused to recall an order dated March 28 imposing a fine of Rs. one lakh on one Rashid Ali Saudagar for filing a scandalous plea against two sitting judges of the court who had earlier decided his case.
Dismissing his plea for recall of the order imposing costs, Chief Justice Khehar also restrained Saudagar from filing any more petitions in the apex court.
“Petitioner is restrained from approaching this court with any public issues. Registry directed not to accept any of the petitions filed by him in public interest.If the petitioner has a personal grievance, he can approach the competent court”, the order said
The bench however found it “just and appropriate” to extend the deadline for paying the cost by four weeks.
An interesting exchange between CJI Khehar and petitioner Saudagar preceded the order
CJI: See the whole point is when we have fully and finally decided nothing can be done.
Saudagar: The order is not justified. It is wrong
CJI: The unfortunate part is that it is not you who decide all this..it is we. You chose to implead judges who heard your case..you keep filing all kinds of contempt cases in the Registry against its officials, judges of this court..we had to bring an end to it
Saudagar: I think there is nothing wrong in it
CJI: Then we too can impose costs..there is nothing wrong in it..see it is all decided in consonance with law. We are dismissing your petition
On March 28, the bench headed by Chief Justice J S Khehar imposed costs on Saudagar and asked him to deposit it within four week in the apex court registry which would route it to the National Legal Services Authority. The petitioner had arrayed as party the judges, who had passed the verdict on his earlier plea, in the petition challenging the order.
"In the pleadings now, the applicant has impleaded by name two sitting judges of the Supreme Court. These judges have nothing to do with the controversy raised by the applicant who has prayed for appropriate writ order seeking a direction for imposing criminal sanction against the judges...," the bench, also comprising Justices D Y Chandrachud and S K Kaul, had said. "We are of the view that the registry was fully justified in dismissing the appeal against the order passed by the judges," the bench said while dismissing his plea and imposing costs of Rs. one lakh on the petitioner.