Lalu verdict: HC stays contempt notice against Congress leader Manish Tiwari

Ranchi In a major reprieve to Congress leader Manish Tiwari, the Jharkhand high court on Friday stayed the “contempt of court” notice issued by special CBI court,

In a major reprieve to Congress leader Manish Tiwari, the Jharkhand high court on Friday stayed the “contempt of court” notice issued by special CBI court, Ranchi, for allegedly making adverse comments against the fodder scam judgment that convicted RJD chief Lalu Prasad on December 23 last year.

Politician Manish Tiwari during the Christmas lunch party. (Hindustan Times File Photo)

The court of special CBI judge Shivpal Singh had on January 3 issued “contempt of court” notices to Tiwary and RJD leaders, including Prasad’s younger son Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, Shivanand Tiwari and Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, for allegedly making unwarranted comments against the judgment. The court had sought their replies by January 23, the next date of hearing.

Challenging the notice in Jharkhand high court, Tiwari’s counsel RS Mazumdar contended that the said court didn’t have powers to issue “contempt of court” notice directly to the party concerned. “It can at the best recommend for the same to the high court,” Mazumdar argued.

He pointed out that the said notice didn’t even specify the reasons for its issuance.

Responding to Tiwari’s petition, the bench of justice Aparesh Kumar Singh stayed the lower court’s notice and sought replies from the CBI and the state government by the next date of hearing on February 2.