The Supreme Court had earlier held Bhushan guilty of contempt over two of his tweets targeting CJI SA Bobde and some of the earlier CJIs.
Defending Lawyer-Activist Prashant Bhushan over the contempt of court case, senior lawyer and Congress leader Kapil Sibal tweeted that “contempt power” is being used as a “sledgehammer”. Sibal also went on to warn that history would judge the courts for “having let us down”.
The Supreme Court had earlier held Bhsuhan guilty of contempt over two of his tweets targeting CJI SA Bobde and some of the earlier CJIs. Bhushan submitted in court that the tweets were an attempt to discharge his highest duty, stressing that he had been “grossly misunderstood”.
Though Prashant told Supreme Court that he would not be pleading mercy, the top court gave him three days to reconsider his statements and sought an unconditional apology by August 24.
Sibal, who’s a senior lawyer himself and has argued before the apex court on several instances, tweeted on Saturday morning saying: “Contempt power being used as a sledgehammer…”
Sibal added, “Why are Courts helpless when institutions that need to protect the constitution and the laws show “open contempt” for both? Larger issues are at stake… History will judge the Court for having let us down.”
Prashant Bhushan
Contempt power being used as a sledgehammer
Why are Courts helpless when institutions that need to protect the constitution and the laws show “ open contempt " for both ?
Larger issues are at stake
History will judge the Court for having let us down
— Kapil Sibal (@KapilSibal) August 22, 2020
Passing a similar remark on the Independence day, Sibal had tweeted, “As we celebrate Independence Day, courts must never forget that their commitment to the cause of liberty and our constitutional values will be judged not by their words and homilies but by their actions in dealing with causes”.
Mr. Sibal had appeared for Tehelka magazine in 2009 contempt case, in which Bhushan is also an accused.
The magazine had published Bhushan’s interview in 2009 in which he accused some former Chief Justices of India of corruption.
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