SC fines Bhushan ` 1 for contempt
Lawyer-activist Prashant Bhushan, held guilty of contempt for his tweets criticising Chief Justice of India S.A. Bobde, former CJIs and the Supreme Court, was asked to pay a notional fine of `1 by the top court on Monday.
If he didn’t pay the fine by September 15, he’d face jail for three months and a ban from practicing in the Supreme Court for three years, a three-judge bench ordered while saying that despite its repeated suggestions, Mr Bhushan had refused to tender an apology, showing both “adamance and ego” though his act of denigrating the judiciary was “very serious”.
In a tweet on Monday afternoon, Mr Bhushan said that he had “gratefully accepted” the contribution for the fine from his lawyer.
“My lawyer & senior colleague Rajiv Dhavan contributed 1 Re immediately after the contempt judgement today which I gratefully accepted,” Mr Bhushan tweeted with photographs of him holding up a `1 coin.
“I propose to submit to the order and respectfully pay the fine. I did not mean to disrespect the court with my tweets. I will pay the fine,” he told reporters in the evening.
While passing the order, Justice Arun Mishra, who was heading the bench, said, “In our considered view, the act committed by the contemnor (Prashant Bhushan) is a very serious one. He has attempted to denigrate the reputation of the institution of administration of justice of which he himself is a part.”
Speaking for the bench, also comprising Justice B.R. Gavai and Justice Krishna Murari, Justice Mishra said, “The court, from the very beginning,
I propose to submit to the order and respectfully pay the fine. I did not mean to disrespect the court with my tweets. I will pay the fine.
— PRASHANT BHUSHAN Lawyer
was desirous of giving quietus to this matter. Directly or indirectly, the contemnor was persuaded to end this matter by tendering an apology and save the grace of the institution as well as the individual, who is an officer of the court”. “However, for reasons best known to him, he has neither shown regret in spite of our persuasion or the advice of the learned AttorneyGeneral,” he added.
Mr Bhushan’s conduct, Justice Mishra said, “Reflects adamance and ego, which has no place in the system of administration of justice and in noble profession, and no remorse is shown for the harm done to the institution to which he belongs.”
Referring to Mr Bhushan releasing his second statement to the media even before it reached the court, the court said, “If we do not take cognizance of such conduct it will give a wrong message to the lawyers and litigants throughout the country.” It then ordered the fine.
The SC had on August 14, 2020, held Mr Bhushan guilty of the contempt of court for his two tweets which the court had said lowered its dignity and authority.