HC Orders Criminal Contempt Case Against BJP MLA for Contacting Judge

The Madhya Pradesh High Court on Thursday directed that a criminal contempt case be registered against BJP MLA Sanjay Pathak for allegedly attempting to contact a sitting judge in connection with an illegal mining case.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva and Justice Vinay Saraf took suo motu cognisance of the incident and rejected Pathak’s objections before disposing of a related petition.

The matter dates back to September last year, when Justice Vishal Mishra recused himself from hearing a writ petition concerning alleged illegal mining activities. The judge had then disclosed that Pathak had attempted to contact him over the phone “to have a discussion regarding this particular matter,” prompting his withdrawal from the case.

The petition was filed by a Katni resident, who alleged that companies linked to the BJP leader were involved in illegal and excess mining in the Sihora area of Jabalpur district, including operations on forest land. The petitioner claimed that despite filing complaints with authorities, no concrete action had been taken, leading him to approach the High Court.

Counsel for the petitioner argued that the attempt to contact the judge amounted to interference in judicial proceedings and an effort to influence the course of justice. Following the recusal, the matter was placed before the Chief Justice at the administrative level.

With the High Court now ordering criminal contempt proceedings, the case is set to move forward under provisions that address acts undermining the authority and independence of the judiciary. If established, the offence carries the possibility of penalties including fines and imprisonment.