Contempt case against Bhushan over tweets

nNEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has initiated suo motu criminal contempt proceedings against advocate Prashant Bhushan over his tweets about the judiciary.the petition is listed for hearing on Wednesday before a bench comprising Justices Arun Mishra, BR Gavai and Krishna Murari.

While Bhushan has been named as the first contemnor, the suo moto contempt has also been initiated against the Indian arm of Twitter, Twitter Communications India Private Limited with its registered office at Bandra (East) in Mumbai.

It wasn’t immediately clear which tweet or tweets by Bhushan provoked the contempt action against him. Bhushan has made tweets critical of the court and some of its judges on two instances. HT is not reproducing the contents of these in the event that they are now the matter of judicial scrutiny. The suo moto contempt petition was registered by the Court Registry on July 9.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan speaking to HT said, “It is quite early to say anything. Let us wait till the Court issues notice. At present it is mere speculation that the Court has possibly issued notice on my CJI on Motorcycle tweet or an earlier tweet where I said about the role of past CJIS in destroying democracy without a formal emergency.”

Bhushan faces two other contempt petitions in the apex court. One was filed against him in 2010 by senior advocate Harish Salve acting as Amicus Curiae (friend of the Court). The other contempt petition against Bhushan was filed in March 2019 by the present Attorney General KK Venugopal and the Union of India through Secretary to the Government , C Chandramouli.

Bhushan refused to comment on the two contempt petitions.