KOCHI, MARCH 21: A division bench of the Kerala High Court on Tuesday came down heavily on 'self-styled champions' of public causes who 'trespassed' into areas, particularly judicial and administrative functions of the court, with which they had no concern."We feel strongly about the conduct of such self-styled champions of public causes', the bench comprising Chief Justice Arijit Pasayat and Justice K S Radhakrishnan observed while dismissing a contempt of court case against Dr C R Soman, chairman of the Health Action by People, Thiruvananthapuram. It cautioned him to be careful in future. The court had suo motu initiated contempt proceedings against Soman for addressing a letter to a judge of the court, making some contemptuous remarks on the helmet case. Soman, who had appeared in the court earlier, had tendered unqualified apologies to the bench, comprising Chief Justice Arijit Pasayat and Justice K S Radhakrishnan, stating that in a 'moment of emotion' he had written the letter without knowing the consequences. There had to be a border-line between the bonafide thinking of a person regarding welfare and his writing a letter, casting aspersions on the functioning of a judge, the bench held, adding that the tone of the letter was not courteous or proper and was couched in intemperate language.Dr Soman had, in the letter addressed to Justice A R Lakshmanan, sent two pictures downloaded from the website of the World Health Organisation (WHO), portraying the tragic crash of Chris Boardman, England's finest bicycle racer and Italian racer Fabia Casarteli. While Boardman, who was wearing a helmet, was hurt but survived, Casarteli, who was without a helmet, had died of injuries suffered in the crash. The letter had been sent in the light of a division bench of the court recently staying the single judge's order making wearing of helmets compulsory.
