No jurisdiction to entertain criminal contempt reference from CAT: Delhi HC

New Delhi: Delhi High Court has said it does not have the jurisdiction to entertain criminal contempt reference received from the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) and remitted back the matter to the tribunal.

Hearing a case, it said the CAT has exclusive jurisdiction to entertain such contempt proceedings.

The High Court was hearing a case registered on the basis of reference received in April from the Principal Registrar, CAT on an order passed by the tribunal in the case involving whistleblower officer Sanjiv Chaturvedi.

The order mentioned the gist of developments that had taken place in open court including issuance of a show cause notice to Mehmood Pracha, Chaturvedi's counsel to explain as to why contempt proceedings for the acts on his part be not initiated.

On the next date of hearing, i.e. February 22, 2019, time was sought to file reply and it was granted.

However, no explanation was filed by the counsel for the petitioner.