The Gujarat High Court has directed that the Report prepared by a Three-Judge Committee tasked to examine Yatin Oza’s allegations of favouritism by the Court’s Registry be brought on record in the suo motu contempt case lodged against Oza over the issue (Suo Motu v. Yatin Narendra Oza).
The Court was hearing Oza’s Counsel, Senior Advocate Arvind Datar, argue against the contempt prosecution by taking the defence of truth. Senior Advocate Datar claimed that neither the amicus curiae nor anyone else has claimed Oza’s supposedly contemptuous statements were false. Rebutting this submission, amicus curiae Shalin Mehta asserted that a Three-Judge Committee appointed by the Chief Justice of the High Court had refuted Oza’s claims, terming them baseless.
In view of this, the Division Bench of Justices Sonia Gokani and NV Anjaria directed that the Report be taken on record since it also formed part of Oza’s petition before the Supreme Court.
In June, the Gujarat High Court had issued a suo motu criminal contempt notice to the President of the Gujarat High Court Advocates’ Association (GHCAA) Yatin Oza citing irresponsible, sensational and intemperate allegations of corruption levelled against the High Court and its Registry by Oza in a live press conference via Facebook.
Yatin Oza has now been given additional time to respond to the averments in the Three-Judges’ Report.
