“The case has inspired several citizens to raise their voice against injustice. My tweets were based on what I regarded as the highest duty of a citizen,” Bhushan said in a press conference.
Lawyer and activist Prashant Bhushan, who was held guilty of contempt of court by the Supreme Court and has been ordered to pay Re 1 as fine or face a 3 months jail sentence and debarment from practice for three years, said he would respectfully pay the fine but will also pursue legal remedies available against the verdict.
Lawyer and activist Prashant Bhushan, who was held guilty of contempt of court by the Supreme Court and has been ordered to pay Re 1 as fine or face a 3 months jail sentence and debarment from practice for three years, said he would respectfully pay the fine but will also pursue legal remedies available against the verdict.
“The case has inspired several citizens to raise their voice against injustice. My tweets were based on what I regarded as the highest duty of a citizen,” Bhushan said in a press conference held in Delhi Press Club. Swaraj India’s Yogendra Yadav was also present.
“My tweets were not intended to disrespect the Supreme Court but were meant to express my anguish at what I felt was deviation from its sterling record. This is a watershed moment for freedom of speech and seems to have encouraged many people to speak out against injustices,” Prashant Bhushan said during the press meet.
While pronouncing the sentence, the Supreme Court bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra referred to Attorney General KK Venugopal’s advice of letting Bhushan go without punishment. Calling it sane advice from AG, the bench said, “Freedom of Speech cannot be curtailed.”
Earlier, Bhushan despite insistence by the presiding judge of the bench hearing the matter-Justice Arun Mishra, had refused to tender an unconditional apology. Though Attorney General KK Venugopal and Senior Advocate Rajeev Dhawan asked the bench to hold him guilty in contempt but not sentence him any punishment, the court remained firm on its stand. “We don’t want to make him a martyr by punishing him,” said Dhawan during the sentencing hearing.
The Supreme Court had held Bhushan guilty of his contempt at the beginning of the month and reserved the judgment. The court last week granted Bhushan chance for an unconditional apology, but he refused. Bhushan had said that if he apologized, it would be a “Contempt of his conscience.”
held in Delhi Press Club. Swaraj India’s Yogendra Yadav was also present.
“My tweets were not intended to disrespect the Supreme Court but were meant to express my anguish at what I felt was deviation from its sterling record. This is a watershed moment for freedom of speech and seems to have encouraged many people to speak out against injustices,” Prashant Bhushan said during the press meet.
While pronouncing the sentence, the Supreme Court bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra referred to Attorney General KK Venugopal’s advice of letting Bhushan go without punishment. Calling it sane advice from AG, the bench said, “Freedom of Speech cannot be curtailed.”
Earlier, Bhushan despite insistence by the presiding judge of the bench hearing the matter-Justice Arun Mishra, had refused to tender an unconditional apology. Though Attorney General KK Venugopal and Senior Advocate Rajeev Dhawan asked the bench to hold him guilty in contempt but not sentence him any punishment, the court remained firm on its stand. “We don’t want to make him a martyr by punishing him,” said Dhawan during the sentencing hearing.
The Supreme Court had held Bhushan guilty of his contempt at the beginning of the month and reserved the judgment. The court last week granted Bhushan chance for an unconditional apology, but he refused. Bhushan had said that if he apologized, it would be a “Contempt of his conscience.”
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