SC issues contempt notice to Markandey Katju; 'not scared' says the retired judge

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday issued contempt of court notice to former judge Markandey Katju for criticising judges and not the judgment in the Soumya rape case . The top court said Justice Katju's remarks on Justice Gogoi was an assault on three judge bench and it was not criticism of judgment in the Soumya case.The top court issued a notice to Katju after dismissing petitions by Kerala and Soumya's mother seeking death penalty for Govindachamy.After the SC issued contempt notice, a defiant Justice Katju said, "Mr (Justice) Gogoi don't threaten me. Do what you want. I am not scared."This is the first occasion in judicial history when a former Judge of SC faces contempt charge in apex court.Justice Katju kept saying he is not scared of SC and addressed Justice Gogoi as Mr Gogoi several times and reminded that he was junior to him (Katju) in SC.When Justice Katju got furious, the bench called for security asking - is there anyone to escort Justice Katju out of court?The Supreme Court on October 17 summoned former judge Markandey Katju for insinuating that the top court had "grievously erred" by not imposing death penalty on Govindachamy in the Soumya rape-murder case.The top court has asked Katju to explain on November 11 how and where it went wrong in not imposing death sentence on Govindachamy.23-year-old Soumya, an employee of a Kochi shopping mall, was assaulted by Govindachamy in an empty ladies' coach of Ernakulam-Shoranur passenger train on February 1, 2011.She was allegedly pushed off from the slow-moving train, carried to a wooded area and subsequently raped. She succumbed to injuries at the Government Medical College Hospital, Thrissur, on February 6, 2011.Govindachamy was awarded death sentence by a trial court and the order was upheld by Kerala high court on December 17, 2013.However, the apex court acquitted him from the murder charge and convicted him only for committing rape. He was then sentenced to life imprisonment.The apex court, in its verdict, had held that there was no intention on part of the accused to kill the victim. A day after the verdict, former Supreme Court judge Markandey Katju, in a Facebook post, said, "The Supreme Court has grievously erred by law by not holding Govindachamy guilty of murder."Katju said it was "regrettable" that the court has not read Section 300 carefully."The judgement needs to be reviewed in an open court hearing," he said.