Double whammy: Deepak Khosla faces contempt, barred entry in Supreme Court Registry

The Supreme Court has initiated contempt proceedings against advocate Deepak Khosla who had moved the Supreme Court against an order of the Delhi High court which had held him in contempt..This unusual order was passed by Justices Kurian Joseph and Rohinton Nariman which, besides initiating contempt against Khosla, also restrained him from entering the Registry of Supreme Court..And it is not just Khosla who has invited the wrath of the court. Khosla’s Advocate-on-Record Varinder Kumar Sharma has also been issued notice in the contempt case..The order was passed on March 15 based on a report received from the Registry of the Supreme Court. The court has also requested Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi to assist the court..The order reads as follows:.“The Registry of this Court has forwarded a Report dated 14th March, 2016 pertaining to the conduct of the petitioner Mr. Deepak Khosla and Advocate on Record Mr. Varinder Kumar Sharma. A perusal of the events referred in the Report is certainly disturbing. Prima facie we are of view that it is a situation which warrants initiation of proceedings for Contempt of Court..Issue notice to Mr. Deepak Khosla and Mr. Varinder Kumar Sharma, Advocate-on-Record. They may file their response within four weeks. We also request the learned Attorney General to assist the Court in this behalf. A set of papers be served on the learned Attorney General of India.”.The Court has also restrained Khosla or any other advocate acting on his behalf from instituting any civil or criminal proceeding against any officer of the Registry of the Supreme Court without the leave of the Supreme Court while slightly modifying its order on March 17..Khosla had moved Supreme Court against an order of the High Court which had held him in contempt for calling the Bench “Dedh bench” (one-and-a-half bench). He had made a prayer for special leave to appeal against the said order dated of February 22, 2016..The Court has dismissed Khosla’s Special Leave Petition while observing that he is entitled to file an Appeal under Section 19 of the Contempt of 3 Courts Act, and no special leave is required for the same. Khosla has now been given the liberty to approach the High Court to get an extension of time for appealing against its order of February 22..Senior Advocate Salman Khurshid had appeared for Khosla..Read the orders passed by the Supreme Court below.