Balakrishnan Nair, J.

This Contempt of Court proceeding was taken suo motu by the High Court under Sections 2(c) and 15 of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971 read with Rule 7 of the Contempt of Courts (High Court of Kerala) Rules, 1988. It is initiated, against the publication of an editorial by the Kerala Kaumudi daily on 112.2008, concerning the applications for bail pending before this Court at the relevant time, filed by the accused in a case known as Abhaya case. The respondents are the Printer and Publisher and Editors of the said daily. The said editorial contains certain allegations against the learned Judge hearing the bail applications and also against the Honble Acting Chief Justice of this Court. It was stated that the learned Judge was suspected to be under the influence of persons allegedly interested in the accused and the application of the C.B.I for posting the bail applications before another Bench was rejected by the Honble Acting Chief Justice on communal grounds.

2. Theinformation regarding the publication of the above editorial was placed before the Honble Acting Chief Justice on the administrative side under Rule 7(i) of the Contempt of Courts (High