J&K High Court Closes Contempt Case Against Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas

The Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court has closed the suo motu contempt case against law firm Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co (SAM), which was initiated for allegedly misquoting a court judgment in a legal notice.

A bench ruled that a bona fide misinterpretation of a judgment does not constitute contempt unless it is willful or obstructs justice.

The Court found SAM’s notice to be a good faith communication between companies, issued when no litigation was pending.

The legal notice, sent on behalf of Sawalkote Consortium to NHPC (National Hydroelectric Power Corporation), did not amount to criminal contempt, leading the Court to dismiss the case.