Overview
- The High Court took on record an unconditional apology filed for Sanjay Pathak and still directed his personal appearance at the next hearing on April 21.
- The court registered a criminal contempt case on April 2 after taking suo motu cognisance of an alleged attempt to influence proceedings in a mining matter.
- The contempt charge stems from a claimed phone call to Justice Vishal Mishra about a mining petition, which the judge cited when he recused himself last September.
- Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi said Pathak admitted the mistake and sought leniency through an affidavit, which the division bench accepted on file.
- Petitioner Ashutosh Dixit alleges companies linked to Pathak carried out illegal and excessive mining in the Sihora area, including on forest land, highlighting a wider clash between political power and business interests.