The Supreme Court on Monday has issued an interim stay on the 15-day simple imprisonment handed down by the Madras High Court to retired IPS officer G Sampath Kumar. This decision comes in response to a contempt of court case filed by former Team India cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

A bench comprising Justice A S Oka and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan issued a notice on Kumar's plea challenging the High Court's order. The matter is scheduled for the next hearing on March 8.

The contempt of court case stems from remarks made by Kumar against the judiciary in his written statement filed in response to a Rs 100 crore defamation suit filed by Dhoni. The suit, filed in 2014, was in connection with Kumar naming the popular cricketer in the Indian Premier League (IPL) betting scam.

The Madras High Court, in its December 15, 2023, order, found Kumar guilty of committing criminal contempt and sentenced him to 15-day simple imprisonment. The court stated that Kumar had consciously attempted to scandalize and lower the authority of both the Madras High Court and the Supreme Court.

Dhoni's contempt petition argued that Kumar's statements were an attack on the judiciary and sought punishment for the former IPS officer. The High Court, in its order, emphasized that Kumar, being a responsible police officer, had crossed the bounds of freedom of speech and expression by undermining the dignity of the courts.

The court highlighted that the Contempt of Courts Act has been enacted to ensure public respect and confidence in the judiciary as an institution. It noted that statements made by Kumar in his additional written statement were intended to scandalize the court, lower its authority, and destroy people's confidence in the administration of justice.

The High Court rejected Kumar's defense, stating that a general statement against the court's order and accusing the Supreme Court of failing to uphold the "Rule of Law" cannot be considered fair comments. The court emphasized that maintaining the dignity of the courts is a fundamental principle of the Rule of Law.