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