THE HON’BLE SRI JUSTI CE P.SAM KOSHY AND THE HON’BLE SRI JUSTI CE NARSI NG RAO NANDI KONDA CONTEMPT APPEAL Nos.17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 and 34 of 2023

COMMON JUDGMENT

(per the Hon’ble Sri Justice P.Sam Koshy)

Since the issue arising in the instant appeals is one and the same, they are taken up for analogous hearing and are decided by way of this common judgment.

2. Heard Mr. Pratap Narayan Sanghi, learned Senior Counsel representing Mr. Avadesh Narayan Sanghi and Bathula Raj Kiran, learned counsel for the appellants, and Mr. M. Surender Rao, learned Senior Counsel representing Mr. Aka Venkataramana, learned counsel for the respondents.

3. The instant appeals are filed under Section 19 of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971 (hereinafter referred to as the ‘Act’). The challenge is to the common order dated 13.10.2023 passed by the Hon’ble Single Bench of this High Court in a batch of contempt cases decided analogously; lead case being C.C.No.1530 of 2019.

4. Vide the impugned common order, the Hon’ble Single Bench while hearing the batch of contempt petitions has held that the appellants herein have been found guilty of contempt and are liable to be