Nageswara Rao

It said, “We have heard Rao and Bhasuram for commission of contempt of court and we impose one lakh fine and sentence them till the rising of the court”.

“Go to one corner of the court and sit down till the rising of this court,” the CJI said.

Before passing the order, the bench told Rao and Bhasuram they have been held guilty of contempt of court and it was not accepting the unconditional and unqualified apology tendered by them.

It also gave an option to Rao and Bhasuram to say something as the sentence for them could be 30 days in jail. “Do you have to say something” the bench asked them.

At this point, attorney general KK Venugopal, appearing for CBI and its officers, requested the court to look into other options as per the law and sought leniency for them.

“To err is human, to forgive is divine,” Venugopal said.

Rejecting the defence of the two officers, the bench said though they have tendered an unconditional and unqualified apology, “we don’t agree with the contentions raised by them”.

During the hearing, the bench observed that Rao was aware of the apex court direction that the CBI officer probing the shelter home sexual assault cases cannot be transferred without its consent. However, his “attitude is ‘I have done what I thought was required’,” the bench said.

“This is a blatant contempt of court. If this is not contempt of court then what is,” asked the bench.