Calcutta High Court judge Justice CS Karnan has been sentenced to prison by the Supreme Court
Justice CS Karnan, the first judge to be sentenced to jail by the Supreme Court, checked out of a state guest house in Chennai this morning but allegedly hasn't paid his bill till now. Where the 61-year-old Calcutta High Court judge is currently is not known.
He took a flight out of Kolkata early on Tuesday, hours before the Supreme Court sentenced him to six months in jail for contempt, and travelled to Chennai.
He checked into the guest house yesterday along with two lawyers. The lawyers were asked to vacate their rooms, according to officials quoted by the news agency IANS.
Justice Karnan was expected to visit the temple town of Srikalahasti in Andhra Pradesh today, officials said.
An official at the Srikalahasti temple told IANS that Justice Karnan was to reach the town this evening and go for prayers tomorrow.
The Supreme Court has ordered the West Bengal police to arrest the judge immediately.
Justice Karnan was accused of contempt after he named 20 "corrupt judges" of the country earlier this year and sought an investigation alleging corruption in the judiciary. He also wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
After the Supreme Court order, the judge called a press conference in Chennai but nothing was reported because of the court's ban on the media reporting any comment or statement from him.
Days ago, Justice Karnan turned away a team of psychiatrists who had arrived at his Kolkata home along with the police for a medical examination ordered by the top court, for an assessment of his mental health.
In his battle with the Supreme Court, Justice Karnan has responded to every ruling by calling a "home court" and coming out with his own "order" against the Chief Justice of India, JS Khehar, and other judges on the case.
(With inputs from IANS)