Mumbai: Mumbai High Court on July 10 directed anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare to file within a month his reply to a petition filed by Jalgaon MLC Suresh Wani seeking contempt action against him for making derogatory remarks against the judiciary.

Hearing a petition filed by Wani, Justice V B Palshikar and Justice Dilip Bhosale also exempted Hazare from appearance on the next occasion.

Hazare appeared on July 10 along with his lawyer Majeed Memon and asked for time to file a reply while pleading for exemption on the next occasion.

Wani filed a petition seeking contempt action against Hazare for allegedly commenting in a section of the media that Maharashtra Minister Suresh Dada Jain had managed the judiciary.

Such remark amounted to undermining the judiciary and committing contempt of court, he said.

Wani's counsel opposed Hazare's plea for exemption and said four weeks time to reply should be curtailed to two weeks.

However, the court decided to give Hazare one month's time to file a reply and also exempted him from appearance.

PTI