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Madhya Pradesh MLA made ‘attempt to call’ judge hearing mining case, High Court initiates contempt action

The order was passed by a Division Bench of Chief Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva and Justice Vinay Saraf on a petition seeking judicial action over the conduct

Madhya Pradesh MLA made ‘attempt to call’ judge hearing mining case, High Court initiates contempt action The contempt petition has been listed for April 6, 2026.

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has ordered a suo motu criminal contempt petition against Vijayraghavgarh MLA Sanjay Satyendra Pathak, months after he allegedly tried to phone a sitting judge who was hearing a case linked to illegal mining allegations against him.

The order was passed by a Division Bench of Chief Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva and Justice Vinay Saraf on a petition seeking judicial action over the conduct. The contempt petition has been listed for April 6, 2026.

Referring to Section 2(c) of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, which defines criminal contempt as any act that interferes with or obstructs the administration of justice, the bench observed: “We are prima facie of the view that the conduct of respondent No. 7 may amount to a criminal contempt.”

The Registry has been directed to register the suo motu proceedings, which will be heard on April 6.

The episode dates to September 2025, when Justice Vishal Mishra disclosed from the Bench that Pathak had attempted to call him over a writ petition pending before his court. “Mr. Sanjay Pathak has made an attempt to call me to have a discussion regarding this particular matter. Therefore, I am not inclined to entertain this writ petition,” Justice Mishra said. He then recused himself and directed the matter to be placed before the Chief Justice for reassignment to another bench.

The writ petition had been filed by one Ashutosh Dixit, who had first approached the Economic Offences Wing (EOW), Bhopal, with allegations of illegal mining. When the EOW failed to conclude a preliminary enquiry within a time-bound period, Dixit moved the High Court, alleging inaction. Pathak, who served as Minister of State for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises in the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government in 2016, had filed an intervention application in the case seeking to be heard.

Anand Mohan J is an award-winning Senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently leading the bureau’s coverage of Madhya Pradesh. With a career spanning over eight years, he has established himself as a trusted voice at the intersection of law, internal security, and public policy. Based in Bhopal, Anand is widely recognized for his authoritative reporting on Maoist insurgency in Central India. In late 2025, he provided exclusive, ground-level coverage of the historic surrender of the final Maoist cadres in Madhya Pradesh, detailing the backchannel negotiations and the "vacuum of command" that led to the state being declared Maoist-free. Expertise and Reporting Beats Anand’s investigative work is characterized by a "Journalism of Courage" approach, holding institutions accountable through deep-dive analysis of several key sectors: National Security & Counter-Insurgency: He is a primary chronicler of the decline of Naxalism in the Central Indian corridor, documenting the tactical shifts of security forces and the rehabilitation of surrendered cadres. Judiciary & Legal Accountability: Drawing on over four years of experience covering Delhi’s trial courts and the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Anand deconstructs complex legal rulings. He has exposed critical institutional lapses, including custodial safety violations and the misuse of the National Security Act (NSA). Wildlife Conservation (Project Cheetah): Anand is a leading reporter on Project Cheetah at Kuno National Park. He has provided extensive coverage of the biological and administrative hurdles of rewilding Namibian and South African cheetahs, as well as high-profile cases of wildlife trafficking. Public Health & Social Safety: His recent investigative work has uncovered systemic negligence in public services, such as contaminated blood transfusions causing HIV infections in thalassemia patients and the human cost of the fertilizer crisis affecting rural farmers. Professional Background Tenure: Joined The Indian Express in 2017. Locations: Transitioned from the high-pressure Delhi City beat (covering courts, police, and labor issues) to his current role as a regional lead in Madhya Pradesh. Notable Investigations: * Exposed the "digital arrest" scams targeting entrepreneurs. Investigated the Bandhavgarh elephant deaths and the impact of kodo millet fungus on local wildlife. Documented the transition of power and welfare schemes (like Ladli Behna) in Madhya Pradesh governance. Digital & Professional Presence Author Profile: Anand Mohan J at Indian Express Twitter handle: @mohanreports ... Read More

 

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