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Lawyer Prashant Bhushan gets Supreme Court notice on govt’s contempt plea
Prashant Bhushan had allegedly criticised the Supreme Court over appointment of M Nageshwara Rao as interim CBI director.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued a notice to lawyer-activist Prashant Bhushan in a case of contempt pertaining to his posts on micro-blogging site, Twitter. The contempt petition was filed by the Centre and Attorney General KK Venugopal.
Bhushan had allegedly criticised the Supreme Court over appointment of M Nageshwara Rao as interim director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) amid infighting in the agency involving two of its senior-most officers – then director Alok Verma and special director Rakesh Asthana.
The Supreme Court has sought a response from Bhushan on the two pleas in three week. Hearing the pleas, the bench of Justices Arun Mishra and Naveen Sinha said the matter raises a larger question that whether it is open for lawyers or any other person to criticise the court during media debates in a sub judice matter. The court said this question will be dealt with later.
The bench added that criticising the court may also lead to interference in the course of justice. “This issue required to be heard in length, notice issued,” the bench said. The bench listed the matter for further hearing on March 7.
The contempt petition also said that Bhushan, in his tweets, said that Venugopal ‘wilfully and deliberately’ made false statement in a case pending in court.
On February 1, Bhushan wrote on Twitter, “I have just confirmed personally from the Leader of Opposition Mr Kharge that no discussion or decision in HPC meet was taken re appt of Nageswara Rao as interim Director CBI.The govt appears to have misled the court and perhaps submitted fabricated minutes of the HPC meeting! (sic).”
(With inputs from agencies)
