Madras High Court: In writ petition concerning the proposed release of a book at the Chennai Book Fair, the Division Bench of Manindra Mohan Shrivastava*, CJ and G. Arul Murugan, J., held that the title and pictorial representation of the book were highly derogatory, abusive, and contemptuous, directly scandalising the Court and eroding public confidence in the judicial system. The Court emphasised that such publication crossed all limits and needed to be dealt with stern hands. Accordingly, the Court directed immediate police action to prevent publication and circulation and initiated suo motu criminal contempt proceedings against the publisher.
Background:
The petition brought to the Court’s notice that a publisher intended to release a book whose title explicitly referred to a sitting Judge in extremely derogatory language. A copy of the title page, already being circulated across media platforms including social media, was placed on record, and the petitioner requested the Court to examine it.
The State, in response, submitted that if this were indeed the title of the book, it was manifestly derogatory, abusive, and highly contemptuous, as it scandalised the Court and undermined public confidence in the judicial system.
Analysis and Decision:
The Court emphasised that having perused the said document, which was said to be the title page/front page of the book proposed to be released, at once, it would show that the pictorial representation, the caricature and the expressions/words used were not only highly derogatory, but virtually abusive. The Court noted that the pictorial representation directly pointed out with face and name of a sitting Judge of the Court.
The Court observed that on the face of it, the proposed release of the book as titled and shown in the petition was highly derogatory and abusive and crossed all limits and needed to be dealt with stern hands. The Court highlighted that appropriate action shall be taken by the police authorities including to ensure that such scandalised publications do not take place, which may include seizure of pictorial representation and the contents of the nature as stated above, through any means including electronic media.
On the basis of the material placed in the petition, the Court was inclined to initiate suo motu criminal contempt proceedings against the publisher. An emergent notice was issued, including a private notice to be served at the stall in the Chennai Book Fair, returnable within three weeks.
The Court further directed that, on the next date of hearing, the State should submit a report on compliance with the directions issued. Accordingly, the matter was listed for hearing on 28-01-2026.
[P. Naveenprasad v. State of T. N., WP No. 608 of 2026, decided on 07-01-2026]
*Judgment authored by: Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava
Advocates who appeared in this case:
For the Petitioner: B. Jagannath
For the Respondents: E. Vijay Anand, Addl. Govt. Pleader, Ar. L. Sundaresan, Addl. Solicitor General of India assisted by A. Kumaraguru, V. Chandrasekaran, Dr. G. Babu, and B. Sudhir Kumar