E-Paper
Jailed for contempt, Ludhiana resident tenders apology
Nearly two months after dismissed deputy superintendent of police (DSP), Balwinder Singh Sekhon and a Ludhiana resident, Pardeep Sharma, were awarded six months’ imprisonment for contempt of court, the latter has approached high court apologizing for his conduct.
Nearly two months after dismissed deputy superintendent of police (DSP), Balwinder Singh Sekhon and a Ludhiana resident, Pardeep Sharma, were awarded six months’ imprisonment for contempt of court, the latter has approached high court apologizing for his conduct.
An affidavit filed by Sharma through his son Chandan Deep Sharma and other family members has expressed his regret regarding his conduct and submitted that he has highest regard for the judiciary and the rule of law, and it was never his intention to willful disregard this court. Asking to give him one final opportunity to enable him to take reformative steps the application said, he was “sincerely and unconditionally apologetic” of his conduct.
The court will now take up his application on May 10, when he is to appear through video conferencing.
During the hearing, it came to fore that the high court order was challenged but the apex court refused to interfere.
Sharma and Sekhon were awarded six months jail in February 2023 for uploading videos scandalous to the judges of the high court on social media.
Sharma has been lodged in model jail Burail in Chandigarh alongwith with Sekhon since their conviction by the HC on February 24.
In its February order the court had observed that freedom of speech and expression is protected under the Constitution. But their continued misconduct had forced the court to proceed against them with “heavy heart”. By putting material on social sites, they have not only by visible representation scandalised and lowered the authority of the court but have also interfered with the course of judicial proceedings, the bench had observed.
According to the February 2023 order, the videos contained unsubstantiated allegations against the judges regarding the manner in which they might be conducting proceedings of the 2013 Jagdish Bhola drug racket in which the court is monitoring steps being taken by the Punjab government on the eradication of drugs and probe into cases of drugs, especially against high-profile individuals. It contained their alleged views about different reports prepared by SITs on the alleged involvement of high-profile individuals and the role of top functionaries of the state, the order said.
Subsequently, social media sites were ordered to remove all the content from its platforms, to which many of them have complied with while others are in the process.
