The CID acted on a Supreme Court order sentencing Karnan to six months jail.
"We have arrested former high court judge Karnan from south India," a senior officer of the CID told PTI.
The apex court had sentenced Karnan to six months jail for contempt of court on May 9, when he was a serving judge of the Calcutta High Court.
Karnan retired from service on June 12. He became the first high court judge to have retired as a fugitive.
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