IN RE: N. PEDDI RAJU AND OTHERS versus

Citation: [2025] 9 S.C.R. 183 · Decided: 11-08-2025 · Supreme Court of India · Bench: BHUSHAN RAMKRISHNA GAVAI
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Judgment (excerpt)

[2025] 9 S.C.R. 183 : 2025 INSC 989
In Re: N. Peddi Raju and Others
(Suo Moto Contempt Petition (C) No. 3 of 2025)
11 August 2025
[B.R. Gavai,* CJI, K. Vinod Chandran and  
Atul S. Chandurkar, JJ.]
Issue for Consideration
Scandalous remarks made against a High Court Judge in a Transfer 
Petition. Suo moto contempt proceedings initiated against the 
lawyers involved in the filing of the petition.
Headnotes†
Contempt of Court – Scandalous allegations made against 
High Court Judge – Transfer Petition was filed seeking transfer 
of a Criminal Petition from the High Court of Telangana to 
the High Court of Judicature at Bombay, Nagpur Bench, 
wherein scandalous remarks were made against the High 
Court Judge hearing that matter – Dismissed – In view of 
the remarks made, contempt notice issued to the lawyers-
alleged contemnors (the lawyer for the petitioner, the  
Advocate-on-Record who had filed the petition and the lawyer 
who had drawn the petition):
Held: Though, the alleged contemnors have tendered their apology 
however, the apology is tendered only to this Court – Since the 
scandalous allegations were made against the High Court Judge 
therefore, alleged contemnors to tender unconditional apology to 
the concerned Judge – Liberty sought therefor, granted – Registrar 
General of the High Court to reopen the matter only for the limited 
purpose of tendering an unconditional apology by the alleged 
contemnors before the concerned Judge – After the question of 
acceptance of the apology is decided, Supreme Court to consider 
the issue with regard to acceptance of apology tendered to this 
Court. [Paras 15-19]
Constitution of India – Judges of the High Court vis-à-vis 
Judges of the Supreme Court:
* Author
184
[2025] 9 S.C.R.
Supreme Court Reports
Held: Judges of the High Court are not inferior to the Judges of 
the Supreme Court – Though, as an appellate Court to the High 
Court, Supreme Court can affirm, reverse, modify or set aside the 
judgment of the High Court, it has no administrative control, either 
over the administration of the High Court or the Judges of the 
High Court – The Judges of the High Court are also Constitutional 
functionaries and they enjoy the same immunity as is enjoyed by a 
Judge of the Supreme Court – Practice amongst lawyers to criticize 
the Judges of the High Courts or Trial Courts without any reason 
and the trend seeking the transfer of matters involving a political 
figure in a particular State to another State, deprecated – Merely 
on the basis that a petition involves a political figure in a State 
cannot constitute a ground to transfer the proceedings from the 
High Court of that State to the High Court of another State – When 
scandalous allegations are made against the Judges of the High 
Court, it becomes the duty of this Court to protect the Judges of 
the High Court – Judges of the High Court are appointed under 
the Constitution of India and upon assuming the office, they take 
an oath to act without any fear or favour, affection or ill-will and 
to uphold the Constitution and the laws – To imply that because 
a political figure is involved in a case, and therefore, a holder of 
such a high constitutional office would not act independently, in our 
view, scandalizes the very institution of administration of justice – 
Judicial deprecation. [Paras 11-14]
Case Law Cited
M.Y. Shareef and Another v. Hon’ble Judges of the High Court of 
Nagpur and Others [1955] 1 SCR 757 : (1954) 2 SCC 444; Civil 
Miscellaneous Petition No. 25533 of 1986 titled In the matter of 
T.V. Choudhary, A Member of the Indian Administrative Service 
(Under Suspension) with SLP(C) No. 14045 of 1985 [E.S. Reddi v. 
Chief Secretary, Government of A.P. and Another] [1987] 3 SCR 
146 : (1987) 3 SCC 258; N. Eswaranathan v. State represented 
by the Deputy Superintendent of Police, 2025 INSC 509 : [2025] 
5 SCR 128 – referred to.
List of Keywords
Contempt of Court; Scandalous remarks/allegations made 
against High Court Judge; Scandalous remarks made against 
a Judge of the Telangana High Court; Judge of the High Court 
of Telangana; Suo moto contempt proceedings; Suo moto 
[2025] 9 S.C.R. 
185
In Re: N. Peddi Raju and Others
contempt proceedings initiated against lawyers/counsels; Alleged 
contemnors; Unconditional apology; Apology tendered; Transfer 
Petition dismissed; Administration of justice; Criticism of Judges; 
Political figure; Judges of the High Court; Judges of the Supreme 
Court.
Case Arising Fr
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