Tribune News Service
New Delhi, August 31
The Supreme Court on Monday ordered activist-lawyer Prashant Bhushan to pay a fine of Re 1 by September 15 for contempt of court, failing which he will be sent to jail for three months and debarred from practising before it for three years.
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While I reserve the right to seek a review of the conviction amp; sentencing, I propose to submit myself to this order and will respectfully pay the fine, just as I would have submitted to any other lawful punishment.
My tweets were not intended in any way to disrespect the Supreme Court or the judiciary, but were merely meant to express my anguish at what I felt was a deviation from its sterling past record.
— Prashant Bhushan
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A three-judge Bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra, which had held Bhushan guilty of contempt of court on August 14 for scandalising the judiciary by his tweets against CJI SA Bobde and four former CJIs, took strong exception to the contemnor talking to the press and releasing his statement to journalists in advance.
"In the circumstances, the defence taken cannot be said to be either in public interest or bona fide one. On the contrary, it is more derogatory to the reputation of this court and would amount to further scandalising and bringing administration of justice in disrepute, in which the common citizen of this country has faith," the Bench said, adding the contemnor had indulged in making reckless allegations against the institution of justice. Hours later, Bhushan told reporters that he will "respectfully" pay the fine as he has "the greatest respect for judiciary".
from The Tribune https://ift.tt/32LCSf9
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