The sources in the Supreme Court have clarified that thecourt has not initiated criminal contempt proceedings against journalistRajdeep Sardesai. It was shown on the website that the court had registeredSuo-Moto Contempt against the journalistfor tweeting against the top court.
The SC has not initiated any criminal contemptproceedings against Sardesai, according to a report published in Live Law. Theclarification came on late Tuesday.
The action is underway to rectify the placement of suchinformation on the website of the apex court, according to the report.
The clarification from the top court came after newsitems were flashed on initiating suo moto criminal contempt proceeding againstSardesai by the top court on a petition by one Aastha Khurana. "This is incontext with news item being flashed in some news channels about initiating suomoto criminal contempt proceeding against Rajdeep Sardesai by Supreme court, itis made clear that no such proceeding has been initiated against RajdeepSardesai. However, status shown at Supreme Court website vide case no. SMC(Crl) 02/2021 has been placed inadvertently. Appropriate action to rectify thesame is under process," said a top court senior official.
The case was linked to a complaint by Aastha Khurana lastyear. KK Venogopal, the Attorney General had declined consent to initiateproceedings on the complaint.
The petitioner had contended that Sardesai's statement isnot only a cheap publicity stunt but a deliberate attempt to spread hatred inform of anti-India campaign on to protest and resist in every way against thetop court and judiciary as a machinery. "That the Contemnor tweet is ofserious nature putting a big question on sovereign function of Supreme Courtand their abiding nature to the Constitution," said the plea.
The petitioner cited tweet by Sardesai, published in August 2020, where he hadcriticized the one-rupee penalty imposed on advocate Prashant Bhushan in thecontempt of court; and another tweet citing that the top court cannot debar anylawyer from practice.
The plea said later this tweet was deleted by him, but it has got huge mediapublicity and has again questioned the fairness of the top court, which isagain a big threat to the Judiciary.
The plea contended that it is evident that Sardesai has disrespected thedecision of the top court with impunity. "The Respondent (Sardesai) haswilfully disobeyed the decision of this Hon'ble Court and their conduct iscontumacious. Therefore, a serious view of the conduct of the Respondent isrequired to be taken for ensuring proper administration of justice," saidthe plea.