Prashant Bhushan tweeted a photo of him taking Re 1 from his lawyer.
New Delhi:
Lawyer and activist Prashant Bhushan, who has been fined Re 1 by the Supreme Court in a contempt case against him, said in a tweet this afternoon that he has “gratefully accepted” his lawyer’s contribution for the fine.
“My lawyer and senior colleague Rajiv Dhavan contributed 1 Re immediately after today’s contempt sentence, which I gratefully accepted (sic),” Bhushan tweeted.
The Supreme Court today ordered the 63-year-old lawyer to pay Re 1 as a fine; Earlier this month he was found guilty of contempt for his tweets criticizing the Chief Justice of India SA Bobde and the high court.
The activist lawyer has until September 15 to pay the fine. If you don’t pay it, you will face jail for three months and will be banned from practicing for three years.
My attorney and senior colleague Rajiv Dhavan contributed 1 Re immediately after today’s contempt sentence, which I gratefully accepted. pic.twitter.com/vVXmzPe4ss
– Prashant Bhushan (@ pbhushan1) August 31, 2020
“Freedom of expression cannot be restricted,” said the Supreme Court in passing the sentence.
Shortly after the sentencing, Bhushan said he will make a “collective decision” on whether to pay the fine or face the other options.
Prashant Bhushan had previously refused to apologize for his tweets. He said he considered it the fulfillment of his “highest duty” and to apologize would be “contempt of his conscience.”
“If you are hurting someone, then what is wrong with apologizing,” Judge Arun Mishra said last week. “How long will the system suffer from all this? I will retire in a few days. Will it be okay if you or others start attacking me? You should apply balm if you have caused harm.
“We gave several opportunities and encouraged (Prashant Bhushan) to express his regret. Not only did he widely publicize the second statement, but he also gave several interviews to the press,” the high court said today.
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