The Delhi High Court held the respondent guilty of wilful disobedience of a Family Court order by sending defamatory emails, amounting to contempt, and issued non-bailable warrants for his arrest.
Full Text
Translation output
CONT.CAS(C) 1747/2025 HIGH COURT OF DELHI Date of Decision: 29.05.2026 PRERNA PAUL .....Petitioner Through: Ms. Shreya Singhal and Mr. Shubhankar Choudhary, Advs.
VERSUS
MICHAEL ASHISH MUKHERJEE & ANR. .....Respondents Through: Ms. Avshreya Pratap Singh Rudy, CGSC, Ms.Usha Jamnal, Ms. Nyasa Sharma and Mr. Ankit Khatri, Advs. and SI Sunil Gahlot on behalf of IO.
CORAM:
HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SACHIN DATTA The matter is taken up today as 28.05.2026 was declared a holiday on account of ‘Id-ul-Zuha (Bakrid)’. SACHIN DATTA, J. (Oral)
JUDGMENT
1. None appears for the respondent no.1, despite pass-over. CONT.CAS(C) 1747/2025 & CM APPL.31099/2026 (For Directions)
2. It is noted that vide previous order dated 08.05.2026, the respondent no.1 was directed to remain present in Court. Despite the said directions, the respondent no.1 is not present in Court today.
3. The present petition alleges wilful disobedience of the order dated 16.09.2025, passed by the Principal Judge, Family Court, Patiala House Court, New Delhi in IDA No.25/2024. The said order inter-alia directs as under: “In the meantime, the respondent is directed not to send any further email either to the petitioner or her employer in any manner till the next date of hearing.”
4. The petitioner alleges that despite the aforesaid directions, the respondent no.1 sent e-mail and communications through multiple e-mail IDs including fabricated and impersonated accounts. It is alleged that the communications contain false acquisition of adultery, data theft, professional misconduct and fabricated allegations against the petitioner’s brother including alleged involvement in criminal activities in United States of America.
5. Vide order dated 08.05.2026, passed in the present proceedings, the concerned SHO / IO was directed to file a status report. The said direction was in continuation of the directions contained in the order dated 17.12.2025, passed in the present proceedings.
6. During the course of hearing today, a status report has been handed over on behalf of the SHO, Safdarjung Enclave, New Delhi. The same validate the allegations made by the petitioner. The said status report interalia records as under:
“14. It is submitted that Shri Michael Ashish Mukherjee impersonated the Petitioner’s brother by creating and using a fake email ID namely transgenderprateek@gmail.com and circulated emails containing the Petitioner’s brothers personal identification documents including passport details, visa particulars, and residential information, thereby allegedly compromising his privacy, safety and security. 15. It is submitted that Shri Michael Ashish Mukherjee submitted false Complaints before multiple Authorities/Agencies in the United States of America, with an intention to initiate coercive and adverse action against the Petitioner’s brother. 16. It is submitted that, during the course of enquiry/investigation, requisite correspondence was addressed to Google seeking details and information pertaining to the email accounts namely priyamvadabajaj6@gmail.com, myprayagrajliving@gmail.com, and transgenderprateek@gmail.com, which were allegedly used for sending threatening and defamatory communications. It is further submitted that in response thereto, Google furnished certain information relevant to the investigation, including IP address details associated with the email account priyamvadabajaj6@gmail.com, and further disclosed that the recovery email linked to the said account was myprayagrajliving@gmail.com.
17. It is submitted that, with respect to the email account myprayagrajliving@gmail.com, Google furnished the recovery email address as mukherjeemichael73@gmail.com and disclosed the linked recovery mobile number as +91 9967405810. It is further submitted that the email account transgenderprateek@gmail.com was found to have been created on 19.09.2025 and, in relation thereto, Google furnished the associated IP address bearing No.2409:4089:ac37:618b:8ce:c2b[4]:decf:d4b[7]. It is additionally submitted that upon technical analysis and resolution of the said IP address, it was revealed that the said Email account had been operated through mobile number +91 7905068217. It is also submitted that, thereafter, details pertaining to another linked Email account namely mukherjeemichael73@gmail.com were also sought from Google. In response thereto, Google informed that the said E-mail account had been created on 18.08.2010 and that the recovery email linked thereof was michaelmiimc1105@gmail.com. It is pertinent to mention that Google further furnished the recovery mobile numbers associated with the said account, namely +91 9967405810, +91 9598427321 and +91
7905068217.
18. It is submitted that, during the course of enquiry/investigation, official communications/correspondence were addressed to Google seeking subscriber details, recovery information, IP logs and other relevant particulars pertaining to the email accounts namely ritamukherjee120362@gmail.com, Sidra19911991@proton.me, Captpaul020521@proton.me, Prerachamar@yahoo.com and akashqatarairways@yahoo.com, which were allegedly used for transmitting threatening, defamatory and objectionable communications. A True Copy of the Communication/Notice dated 18.02.2026 & 19.05.2026 sent to Google seeking particulars is annexed herewith and marked as
ANNEXURE A-02 (COLLY.).
19. It is submitted that, in response thereto, Google furnished certain information relevant to the ongoing investigation and disclosed that the recovery email linked to the concerned account was mukherjeemichael73@gmail.com. It is further submitted that Google further furnished the linked/recovery mobile numbers associated with the said account, namely +91 9967405810, +91 9598427321, +91 9984563101 and +91 8726122464. A True Copy of the Communicationed/responses dated 20.02.2026 and 20.05.2026 received from Google is annexed herewith and marked as
ANNEXURE A-03 (COLLY.).
20. It is submitted that, upon obtaining subscriber details of the aforesaid mobile numbers during investigation, it was revealed that mobile numbers +91 9598427321 and +91 7905068217 are registered in the name of Rita Mukherjee W/o Raj Kumar Mukherji, resident of 120, Darbanga Colony, Allahabad Kty, Indian Press Chauraha, Allahbad, Soraon, Uttar Pradesh – 211002. It was further revealed that mobile number +91 9967405810 is registered in the name of Michael Ashish Mukherjee S/o Raj Kumar Mukherjee, residing at the aforesaid address.”
7. Let the aforesaid status report be filed in the Registry of this Court during the course of the day.
7,063 characters total
8. SI Sunil Gahlot who is present in Court affirms that on the basis of the investigation done so far and the information uncovered, the allegations of the petitioner are found to be genuine and there has been flagrant violation by the respondent no.1 of order dated 16.09.2025, passed by the Principal Judge, Family Court, Patiala House Court, New Delhi in IDA No.25/2024.
9. In the circumstances, the respondent no.1 is held guilty of committing wilful disobedience of the said order dated 16.09.2025, passed by the Principal Judge, Family Court, Patiala House Court, New Delhi in IDA No.25/2024, amounting to contempt under Section 2 (b) read with Sections 10 and 12 of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971.
10. List for orders on sentencing on 15.07.2026 i.e., the date already fixed.
11. Issue Non-Bailable warrants against the respondent no.1, to compel his presence on the next date of hearing, to be executed through the jurisdictional SHO.
SACHIN DATTA, J MAY 29, 2026
Upgrade to Pro
This feature is available on the Pro plan. Upgrade to unlock full AI summaries, PDF downloads, and more.