CJI Surya Kant Condemns Litigant's Misconduct in Minority Reservation Case

Chief Justice of India Surya Kant expressed anger over a litigant's father contacting his brother to object to a judicial order. The case involves Nikhil Kumar Punia seeking minority reservation after converting to Buddhism. The Supreme Court termed this as a 'new type of fraud' and ordered an inquiry.

Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant voiced strong disapproval on Wednesday over a litigant's familial misconduct linked to a judicial decision. A litigant's father had allegedly contacted CJI Kant's brother to object to an order concerning minority reservation in a medical course.

The controversy surrounds Nikhil Kumar Punia, a member of Haryana's Jaat Puniya community, who sought minority status after converting to Buddhism in Uttar Pradesh's Subharti Medical College. The Supreme Court, highlighting the plea as a 'new type of fraud,' called for an investigation into the authenticity of Punia's minority certificates.

The CJI expressed outrage over the 'shocking' incident, stating, "Nobody dares to do this," and questioned why criminal contempt should not be initiated against the litigant's father. The court has postponed the matter to allow time for the Haryana government to file a compliance report on minority certificate guidelines.

(With inputs from agencies.)