Ex-HC judge Karnan held for remarks against judges, women

C S Karnan, former judge of the Madras and Calcutta high courts, was arrested in Chennai on Wednesday following a complaint against him for making vulgar comments against women and remarks against judges, police said.

The arrest comes after a video clip surfaced recently in social media, in which, Karnan, allegedly made objectionable remarks against judges and their wives.

He was arrested by the Central Crime Branch personnel from his suburban residence, a police official said.

Several sections of the IPC, including those related to insulting the modesty of a woman, intentional insult to public servant sitting in judicial proceeding, using obscene words, criminal conspiracy and intimidation, have been invoked against the former judge.

The Indecent Representation of Women (Prohbition) Act has been invoked against him, the official said.

Also, he has been charged under section 67 A of the Information Technology Act for transmission of explicit obscene material, he added.

A woman advocate has formally lodged a complaint against him and following investigation, he has been arrested, the official said, adding "he will be remanded."

In June 2017, Karnan, who evaded arrest for over a month, was arrested from Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu after the Supreme Court held him guilty of contempt and sentenced him to undergo six months of simple imprisonment.

He was released from the Presidency jail in Kolkata in December of that year.