Deepak Khosla v. Nemo

$~2 * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI + CONT.APP.(C) 20/2015 & CM APPL. 32072-32073/2015 DEEPAK KHOSLA ..... Appellant Through:

Appellant in person.

versus NEMO ..... Respondent Through:

Mr. Anand M. Mishra, Adv.

CORAM:

HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S. RAVINDRA BHAT HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE A. K. CHAWLA

O R D E R

% 14.03.2018 This contempt appeal questions an order made by the learned Single Judge in the course of contempt proceedings when an application was moved by the appellant for expedited hearing. Apparently, the appellant was subject to other proceedings which culminated in a judgment of a Division Bench on 24.04.2012 which had, in effect, stayed all proceedings except the pending contempt proceedings (CCP No.165/2008). The appellant urges that the said contempt proceedings, could not be heard on several occasions and he therefore sought for its expedited hearing. The application was however turned down and the learned Single Judge imposed costs.

CONT.APP.(C) 20/2015

This Court has considered the submissions of the parties. It appears that after the imposition of costs, several other orders were made in the contempt proceedings and the said contempt petition has virtually remained at a standstill. Furthermore, the appellant has faced adverse orders not only through the judgment of the Division Bench of 24.04.2012 but was also directed to desist from appearing in the Courts for a considerable time. Even that period has elapsed.

In these circumstances, this Court is of the opinion that it is expedient that the contempt proceedings i.e. CCP No.165/2008 should be allowed to proceed unhindered by other considerations. Having regard to the overall interests of justice and the parties, therefore the direction to pay costs is hereby set aside. The parties shall appear before the learned Single Judge in contempt proceedings on the date fixed, i.e. 20.03.2018. The appeal is accordingly disposed of.

S. RAVINDRA BHAT, J A. K. CHAWLA, J MARCH 14, 2018 kks CONT.APP.(C) 20/2015