Tue May 20 02:28:51 UTC 2025: **Summary:**
The Calcutta High Court has issued a contempt rule against eight individuals, including Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Kunal Ghosh, due to an incident where lawyers were heckled near the court on April 25th. The incident involved protesters targeting lawyers representing individuals allegedly deprived of employment in a “cash-for-jobs” scam related to the School Service Commission exams. The court has directed the individuals to file affidavits by June 16th and has requested a report from the Kolkata Police Commissioner, who is also tasked with identifying those responsible for the heckling. The court previously stated that the incident appeared to constitute criminal contempt by interfering with the administration of justice and scandalizing the judiciary. Kunal Ghosh denies being present at the site of the incident.
**News Article:**
**Calcutta High Court Issues Contempt Rule Against TMC Leader, Others, Over Lawyer Heckling**
**Kolkata, May 20, 2025** – The Calcutta High Court has taken a firm stance against actions that threaten the integrity of the judicial process, issuing a contempt rule against eight individuals, including Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Kunal Ghosh. The order stems from an incident on April 25th where lawyers were allegedly heckled near the court premises.
The incident involved protesters targeting lawyers Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya and Firdous Shamim, who are representing individuals who claim they were wrongly deprived of employment after qualifying in the 2016 School Service Commission exams, a case linked to an alleged “cash-for-jobs” scam.
A special three-judge Bench, comprised of Justices Arijit Banerjee, Sabyasachi Bhattacharyya, and Rajashri Bharadwaj, will hear the matter on June 16th. They have ordered the eight individuals to submit affidavits detailing their involvement by that date.
The court has also requested a report from the Kolkata Police Commissioner, who has been tasked with identifying all individuals responsible for heckling the lawyers. During a previous hearing, the Bench stated that the incident appeared to constitute criminal contempt by interfering with the due administration of justice and scandalizing the judiciary.
Kunal Ghosh has denied being present at the site of the incident on April 25th, stating in a social media post that his lawyers were prepared to file an affidavit, but were hampered by technical difficulties.
The Calcutta High Court’s action underscores its commitment to protecting the judicial process and ensuring a safe environment for legal professionals to carry out their duties without intimidation. The investigation is ongoing.
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