Judgment

MITTER, J. : This appeal by certificate granted by the High Court at Patna under Art. 134 (1) (c) of the Constitution is directed against the judgment and order of that Court, dated December 14, 1964 in Criminal Miscellaneous Appeal No. 6 of 1964 where by the appellant was found guilty of contempt of Court, i. e., of the Assistant Registrar, Co-operative Societies, Sitamarhi Circle, exercising the powers of the Registrar, Co-operative Societies, Bihar, under S.48 of the Bihar and Orissa Co-operative Societies Act, 1935.

2. The three questions which were argued before us in this appeal were:- (1) Whether the Assistant Registrar of Co-operative Societies was a Court within the meaning of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1952; (2) Even if it was a Court, whether it was a Court subordinate to the Patna High Court ; and (3) whether the words used by the appellant in one of his grounds of appeal to the Joint Registrar of Co-operative Societies, which formed the basis of the complaint, did amount to contempt of any Court.

3. The facts necessary for the disposal of the appeal are as follows: The Sitamarhi Central Co-operative Bank Ltd. (formerly named as Sitamarhi Central Co-operative Uni