Karnataka High Court Sentences Advocate To 15 Days' Jail For Calling Trial Court Judgment A Result Of 'Match Fixing'

The Karnataka High Court has recently sentenced a lawyer from Chitradurga to simple imprisonment for a period of 15 days, after finding him guilty of criminal contempt in a suo motu petition registered through the Registrar General of the Court. [ 2026 LiveLaw (Kar) 374]

The Division Bench of Justice D K Singh and Justice H. Shanthi Bhushan passed the order, noting that the first charge against the lawyer that he accused the trial court of passing a judgment by 'match fixing' stood proved. The court added that the contemnor refused to tender an unconditional apology.

The subsequent charge was with respect to a remark in the statement of objections to the notice filed in contempt case itself, wherein the contemnor mentioned that a previous order of the High Court in a criminal appeal was false, fabricated and created only for the purpose of falsely implicating him in the criminal contempt case.

“…However, he submits that 'match fixing' is in respect of the Investigating Officer and Public Prosecutor. This is not the stand which he has taken in the statement of objections filed to the notice issued to him in the contempt proceedings. With respect to his allegation in charge No.2, in respect of the order passed by this Court on 15.09.2025 in Crl.A.No.1054/2018 (C), he submits that it is a typo mistake, however he has not offered any apology least to say an unconditional apology. We therefore, find both the charges proved against him”.

For context, the suo motu contempt petition was registered in view of an order dated 15.09.2025 passed by the High Court in the aforementioned Crl.A. No. 1054/2018. During the hearing of the said criminal appeal, the said lawyer had alleged before the High Court that the trial court was involved in 'match fixing' before passing the judgment, pursuant ot which contempt proceedings were initiated.

“…Thus, according to him the order passed by this Court on 15.09.2025 which is the basis for initiating Suo Moto contempt proceedings against the accused/contemnor is false, fabricated and forged order created only for the purposes of falsely implicated him in the criminal contempt case. He has further stated that the entire criminal contempt proceedings are false based on the fabrication so that he should not continue as advocate for the appellant. Thus, he has imputed the motives for passing the order dated 15.09.2025 which he says as false, fabricated and forged…”, the court added further.

“…Registry is directed to communicate this order to the Bar Council for taking appropriate proceedings whether he is fit to continue his profession or not…”, the court noted further in the order.

To recap, though the contemnor had initially expressed his willingness to file an affidavit tendering unconditional apology for his conduct, he went back on the said undertaking when the matter was taken up again in September after a week.

On September 18, the contemnor stated that he would like to contest the contempt proceedings and that he was not willing to tender unconditional apology for his conduct.

After considering the response to the notice and the order dated 15.09.2025, the court opined that the statements made by the lawyer on oath again amounts to criminal contempt, which has a tendency to scandalize the Court proceedings and lower the authority and respect of the Court.

Accordingly, the court directed that the accused/contemnor shall be taken to custody forthwith to serve the sentence. In pursuance of this, the Registrar (Judicial) shall issue conviction warrant against the accused as per Rule 16 of the High Court of Karnataka (Contempt of Court Proceedings) Rules, 1981, the court added.

Case Title: High Court of Karnataka, represented by the Registrar General v. Sri H.P. Sabjan, Advocate

Case Number: Criminal Contempt Petition No. 2 of 2026

Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (Kar) 374

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