SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, Sept 5: A contempt of court case has been filed against former Congress MLA from Jharia, Purnima Singh, for allegedly making derogatory remarks against the judiciary after the verdict in the Neeraj Singh murder case.
Lawyer Waquar Ahmed, in his petition, stated that Singh organized a candle march on the evening of September 1, from District Board Ground to Randhir Verma Chowk, in protest against the court’s judgment.
Alleged Remarks Against Judge and Judiciary
According to the complaint, Purnima Singh, while addressing the media, remarked that “only the court can say where the mistake occurred in the judgment, but the judge should increase the power of his eyeglasses.”
She also allegedly termed the judiciary as “Anyaypalika” instead of “Nyaypalika.”
“Since she publicly defamed the court and its judge, cases under BNS Section 267 and CrPC Section 356 were filed against her on September 4,” Ahmed said.
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Background of the Case
On August 27, the special judge of the Dhanbad MP-MLA court acquitted all 10 accused, including former BJP MLA Sanjiv Singh, in the 2017 murder case of Neeraj Singh, ex-deputy mayor of Dhanbad, citing lack of evidence.
Neeraj Singh and three others were shot dead by unidentified assailants on March 21, 2017. After eight years of trial, the court absolved all accused of murder charges.
Protest March After Verdict
In response to the verdict, Purnima Singh led a candle march in Dhanbad, alleging she had not received a fair ruling. Speaking to reporters, she openly questioned the court’s decision.
“Had she any objection to the judgment, she should have moved the high court under Section 374. But instead, she openly challenged and defamed the court, which cannot be tolerated for the dignity of the judiciary as well as the learned judge,” said Waquar Ahmed.
Lawyer’s Argument on Public Criticism
The complainant further argued that since Purnima Singh is a former public servant, she should not have openly criticized the judiciary on a public platform. He added that her comments not only insulted the court but also undermined public trust in the justice system.