New Delhi, Sep 24: The Supreme Court of India today refused to hear the contempt petition against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for casting aspersions on the chastity of Indian judiciary. Mamata had reportedly said that judgments of the judiciary can be easily bought in India.
The Supreme Court said that since the matter is already under consideration of Calcutta High Court, there is no need for the Supreme Court to hear it now.
Mamata had made these comments more than a month ago in assembly and stood by it even after it turned into a controversy. Mamata went to the extent of saying that she will not mind going to the jail if she is to be punished for speaking the truth.
"At times favourable verdicts are given in return for money. These days, judgements are purchased. There is corruption among a section of the judiciary. I know there can be a defamation suit against me for saying this. But this must be said and I am ready to go to jail for saying so," she had said.
Mamata was angry with judiciary as the state's human rights commission headed by a former Supreme Court Judge directed her govt to pay Rs 50,000 each to a professor of the Jadavpur University and his friend after they were arrested in April this year over some cartoons of the chief minister they reportedly circulated through their official email.