Plea filed in SC seeks contempt proceedings against Journalist Rajdeep Sardesai for criticizing judiciary
(Judicial Quest News Network)
A Plea is filed in Supreme Court which sought contempt proceedings against TV Anchor and Journalist Rajdeep Sardesai.
An application has also been placed before Attorney General KK Venugopal seeking consent for the initiation of contempt proceedings against Editor of the India Today Group.
It is claimed that Sardesai has willingly disrespected the Supreme Court and attempted to defame the institution through a series of statements made on tweeter.
It is submitted that alleged Sardesai always prefers to pass wilful disobedient comments on each and every decision/judgment passed by this Hon’ble Court which leads to cause disrespect to the Superior Court of India in the mind of citizens of India.
It is brought to the notice of the Court that hat the Sardesai on 31.08.2020 tweeted on the very recent decision passed by this Hon’ble Court in the matter of Senior Advocate Mr. Prashant Bhushan and stated in the tweet that:-
“BREAKING: Rs 1 token fine imposed by SC on @pbhushan1
in contempt case… if he doesn’t pay it, then 3 months jail sentence! Clearly, court looking to wriggle out of an embarrassment of its own making.”
The plea is filed by Astha Khurana, a resident of Panipat, through Advocate on record Om Prakash Parihar and Dushyant Tiwari, has primarily stated that the tweets by the India Today anchor critiquing the Apex Court verdict in Bhushan’s contempt case was nothing but a “cheap publicity stunt”
A letter to obtain consent for initiation of Criminal Contempt proceeding under Section 15 of the Contempt of Court Act 1971 r/w rule 3€ of the contempt proceedings of the supreme court , 1975.submitted to the Attorney General of India Mr.KK Venugopal
The letter states that the series of statements made by Mr Rajdeep Sardesai on social media platform “Twitter” has made with deliberate intentions, scandalous and derogatory statements in the context of the supreme court and hence liable to be proceeded with contempt of Courts.
It has brought to the notice of the Court that That the Rajdeep has recently compared the decision passed by this Hon’ble Court in Senior Advocate Mr. Prashant Bhushan as habeas corpus petitions of those people who are detained in Kashmir, the tweet of the Rajdeep states that
“Breaking: @pbhushan1 held guilty of contempt by SC, sentence to be pronounced on August 20…this even as habeas corpus petitions of those detained in Kashmir for more than a year remain pending.
In another tweet Rajdeep had casted aspersion on Hon’ble Judge Mr. Arun Mishra as follows.
“Breaking SC refuses to restrain Rajasthan HC from delivering judgment in MLAs disqualification notice case tomorrow. However, HC judgment will be subject to outcome of final SC orders. Note: Justice Arun Mishra who recently described PM Modi as a ‘versatile genius’ is presiding”.
According to the complainant, all these tweets incite a feeling of “No confidence” in the minds of people about the court and “scandalises the court.”
