New Delhi: The Supreme Court of India on Friday held Senior Supreme Advocate Prashant Bhushan guilty of contempt of court in the Suo moto contempt case taken against him over two of his tweets about the Chief Justice of India and the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court will decide on the sentence on August 20. A three-judge bench of Justices Arun Mishra, BR Gavai, and Krishna Murari delivered the verdict.
Prashant Bhushan tweet about CJI, S A Bobde, seated on a Harley Davidson motorcycle, Bhushan said in the affidavit that his comment was to underline his anguish at the non-physical functioning of the Supreme Court for the last more than three months, “as a result of which fundamental rights of citizens, such as those in detention, those destitute and poor, and others facing serious and urgent grievances were not being addressed or taken up for redressal”.
As regards the tweet about the role of SC in the destruction of democracy and the role of last 4 CJIs in that, Bhushan says that it was his “Bonafede impression” about them and it is his considered opinion that SC allowed the destruction of democracy and such expression of opinion, however, “outspoken, disagreeable or unpalatable” can’t constitute contempt.
Mr. Bhushan in an affidavit on August 3 had said he regretted only a “part of” what he tweeted and asserted that criticism of the top judge “does not scandalize” the court or lower its authority.
He had commented on a photo of Chief Justice Bobde on a superbike. Mr. Bhushan in an affidavit on August 2 said he regretted asking why Justice Bobde was not wearing a helmet since the bike was on a stand.