SC to hear NTPC chief’s plea challenging two month-jail in contempt case

New Delhi, Jan 6 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear a plea challenging a Telangana High Court order convicting and awarding two-month jail to the National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC) chairperson in a contempt case.

A bench comprising Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justice PS Narasimha and Justice JB Pardiwala took note of the submissions of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the NTPC chief, that the matter needed urgent listing.

“This is the case in which the NTPC chairperson has been awarded two months’ jail term in a contempt case relating to appointments of some non-executive employees,” the law officer said.

“We will hear it,” the bench said and asked the law officer to provide three copies of the petitions for the judges.

On December 31, Telangana High Court sentenced NTPC Chairman and Managing Director Gurdeep Singh to two months in jail in a contempt case.

The high court, however, had suspended the judgment for six weeks to allow the contemnor to move a superior court to avail of legal remedy to mitigate the sentence.