P&H High Court Initiates Criminal Contempt Case Against The Hindu, Dainik Bhaskar Over Ads Alleging 'Conspiracy' Against Gurmeet Ram Rahim
Paid narratives insinuating Courts are party to a conspiracy against an accused or convict, obstructs justice administration, Court said.
The Punjab & Haryana High Court has taken suo motu cognizance of criminal contempt over a front-page advertisement titled "What is Dera Sacha Sauda? (Facts vs Fiction)", published in The Hindu and Dainik Bhaskar.
It has issued notice to Dera Sacha Sauda and to the publishers and editors-in-chief of both newspapers.
The matter was listed today before Justice Vinod S. Bhardwaj and Justice Ravinder Malik and now adjourned for November 25.
The advertisement in question appeared on the front page of both newspapers' editions dated 12 September 2026 (Annexures A-1 and A-2). It included a sub-heading asking, "Was there a conspiracy against Guru Ji?"
Justice Subhas Mehla had taken note of the ads on September 16 and initiated contempt. The notices were made returnable for today (7 October) and the case was listed before the division bench as per roster.
Justice Mehla had observed that issuing public appeals and paid narratives to insinuate that courts are party to a conspiracy against a convict or accused (Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in this case), while appeals and trials are pending, is "an attempt to mobilize public opinion and influence the judicial process which directly obstructs the administration of justice."
On a prima facie consideration, the Court held that the contents "may have the tendency to scandalize or lower the authority" of the Court and/or interfere with or obstruct the due course of judicial proceedings. It said the allegations and imputations must be examined under the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, particularly Section 2(c).
The Court noted that, as a court of record, it holds the constitutional power under Article 215 to punish for contempt of itself. It added that Section 15(1) of the Act allows cognizance of criminal contempt on the court's own motion.
Having regard to the nature of the publication and its apparent tendency to interfere with the administration of justice, the Court took suo motu cognizance under Article 215 read with Sections 2(c)(i), 2(c)(iii) and 15(1) of the 1971 Act.
Notice was issued to Dera Sacha Sauda, through its Management, Publisher of The Hindu, Editor-in-Chief, The Hindu, Publisher of Dainik Bhaskar and Editor-in-Chief, Dainik Bhaskar.
The Registry was directed to send notice along with copies of the annexures. The Senior Superintendent of Police, Chandigarh, was directed to help the Registry obtain the contemnors' details forthwith.
Title: In Re: Suo motu contempt proceedings against publication of scandalous and contemptuous material intended to scandalize the Court and obstruct the administration of justice