Supreme court ‘rejects’ affidavit by Nanda lawyer

Dissatisfied with RK Anand's affidavit tendering unconditional apology, the Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the veteran lawyer to file an additional affidavit.

Dissatisfied with RK Anand's affidavit tendering unconditional apology, the Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the veteran lawyer to file an additional affidavit.

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A special bench of justice Sudershan B Reddy, justice GS Singhvi and justice Aftab Alam expressed its discontent to senior advocate MR Culla, appearing for Anand, and said his client should read the SC judgment upholding his conviction in the contempt case "carefully" before filing the additional affidavit.

This prompted Culla to say: "You (the bench) dictate to me. What is wrong in this affidavit? A to Z it's an unconditional apology (sic.)."

Anand had filed the affidavit in response to a show-cause notice asking the former Rajya Sabha MP on why should he not be punished to jail for committing contempt of court.

In August 2008, the Delhi high court had convicted Anand for trying to influence a witness in the high-profile hit-and-run case involving his client Sanjeev Nanda.

Anand's attempt to "cause miscarriage" of justice was exposed in a sting operation on NDTV in 2007. The apex court had upheld the conviction verdict and also issued a show-cause notice.

Anand, who was stripped off his designation of a senior advocate, had invoked the Gita while tendering the unconditional apology. The affidavit, however, did not admit or accept the fault.

On reading the affidavit, the bench remarked: "Perhaps the deponent (Anand) doesn't accept that he had done the act. He only says 'for all the acts imputed to him in the telecast.' For you it's still only an imputation."

In his apology, Anand also sought pardon for moving a recusal application urging justice Manmohan Sarin (since retired) to withdraw from the hearing on the ground that he was biased. Justice Sarin's bench had held Anand guilty and barred him for four months.