Gujarat HC dismisses contempt plea against AM/NS

The Gujarat High Court has dismissed a contempt petition filed against ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India. The court not only rejected the plea but also imposed a ₹2 lakh fine on the petitioner for deliberately misusing the judicial process.

The case arose from an interim order granted in August 2024 in favour of AM/NS India. The petitioner, Gujarat Operational Creditors Association, alleged that AM/NS India and its representatives had no right to seek an extension of this relief.

The plea further accused the judges who granted the extension of judicial bias and misconduct, citing over 250 pages of transcriptions from YouTube livestreams of court proceedings as evidence — an approach the court ruled was against its own procedural rules.

The High Court said the petition was designed to “mortify” AM/NS India, its executives, and legal representatives while undermining the judiciary itself. The judges noted that instead of pursuing a legitimate appeal, the petitioner had chosen contempt proceedings as a pressure tactic, an approach the court found unacceptable.

Beyond dismissing the plea and imposing costs, the High Court also initiated contempt proceedings against the petitioner’s signatory, Priti Chaudhary, and their lawyer, Deepak Khosla for their conduct in the case. The Gujarat High Court’s ruling sends a clear message against the misuse of contempt and has reinforced the importance of due process and responsible legal conduct.