Summary:
The Supreme Court on Monday said it will go ahead with the contempt of court proceedings against senior lawyer Prashant Bhushan in the 2009 case over his interview to Tehelka magazine alleging that half of past 16 chief justices of India were corrupt.
Refusing to accept the ‘regret’ offered by Bhushan in a written statement to the top court, a three-judge bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra posted the matter for hearing on August 17.
“Whether calling judges corrupt per se amounts to contempt needs to be heard,” the bench said.
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New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday said it will go ahead with the contempt of court proceedings against senior lawyer Prashant Bhushan in the 2009 case over his interview to Tehelka magazine alleging that half of past 16 chief justices of India were corrupt.
Refusing to accept the ‘regret’ offered by Bhushan in a written statement to the top court, a three-judge bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra posted the matter for hearing on August 17.
“Whether calling judges corrupt per se amounts to contempt needs to be heard,” the bench said.
On August 4, the Supreme Court had held an in-camera proceeding in the case and reserved it’s order.
A statement was given by Bhushan as well as Tarun Tejpal, the former editor of Tehelka magazine.
The bench said that there is a thin line between free speech and contempt.
The judges said they seek to balance the right to free speech on one hand and the need to protect the dignity of the judiciary as an institution.