Centre seeks action against Swamy

The Supreme Court today agreed to examine the Centre's plea for "appropriate order" against Janata Party leader Subramanian Swamy for "maligning" the image of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Union home minister P Chidambaram and others in connection with the 2G scam, when the matter was "subjudice".

The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to examine the Centre's plea for "appropriate order" against Janata Party leader Subramanian Swamy for "maligning" the image of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Union home minister P Chidambaram and others in connection with the 2G scam, when the matter was "subjudice".

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"We will look into the issue and consider whether any proceedings should be initiated, if so, against whom it should be initiated," a bench of justice GS Singhvi and justice AK Ganguly remarked after senior counsel PP Rao, appearing for the government, brought it to the notice of the court.

Rao placed on record an affidavit annexed with clippings of newspaper reports of the purported speech delivered by Swamy in Chennai on October 20, 2011, at a lecture Hidden facts about 2G spectrum organised by a forum Youth against corruption.

According to the Centre, Swamy, an intervenor/applicant in the 2G case, has publicly commented on issues which are the subject matter of pending judicial proceedings both in the Supreme Court and the trial court.

"When the judgement is reserved after hearing the parties, apart from law, propriety demands that a party to the case should not speak on the subject in public and declare that certain persons, including an accused, are guilty of such offences.

"The said speech shows that the sole object of Dr Subramaniam Swamy is to malign and lower the image and prestige of public servants holding important offices in the union government and in Parliament," the affidavit said.