The daily Mid Day, which is already facing contempt action for publishing news reports on the former CJI, stood by its story before the high court.

The court, which had earlier issued notices to the daily's publisher, editor and reporter on Friday sought a response from its cartoonist for the alleged "scandalous" cartoon.

"We issue notice to the cartoonist to appear and explain why proceeding should not be conducted against him," a bench comprising Justice R S Sodhi and Justice H R Malhotra said when senior advocate R K Anand placed before the Court a copy of the daily.

Anand had earlier this week brought to the notice of the court the reports against the former CJI alleging that his family benefited from the sealing drive, orders on which were passed by a bench headed by him.

Defending its stand, the daily contended that a judge on retirement ceases to be part of the judiciary.

"Once a person (judge) retires, he ceases to be part of the judiciary," Senior Advocate Shanti Bhushan, appearing for the editor of the tabloid, said.

"The documentary evidence attesting the allegation was discovered by the reporters of Mid Day from the official website of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs," he said.

Bhushan also placed before the Bench all the relevant documents on the basis of which news reports were published on May 18 and May 19.

"We thought it to be our public duty to bring the facts to the knowledge of the people, which appeared to show judicial impropriety at the highest level," the reply submitted by the paper said.