Kunal Kamra has criticized the Supreme Court in his tweets.
New Delhi:
Comedian Kunal Kamra and cartoonist Rachita Taneja received disrespect notices from the Supreme Court, who were asked to respond within 6 weeks for their criticism of the high court in tweets and illustrations respectively.
They have been given six weeks to respond in the separate cases. However, the court has exempted them from personal appearances.
In court notices of Justices Ashok Bhushan, R Subhash Reddy and MR Shah, the High Court has asked them to explain why they should not be brought in contempt of court for “shocking the judiciary”.
Kunal Kamra is facing contempt cases for his tweets in which he attacks the high court for granting television host Arnab Goswami bail after his arrest in an incitement to the suicide case. Eight people, mostly lawyers, have filed cases against him.
Earlier this month, KK Venugopal, the government’s top legal official, gave consent to initiate contempt proceedings against Ms. Taneja for her illustrations against the Supreme Court. The cartoonist tweeted a series of illustrations that Venugopal said were a “grave innuendo” against the country’s highest court and a “bold assault and insult to the institution.”
In her tweets, Rachita Taneja made a cartoon about the Supreme Court granting Arnab Goswami bail. There were also other illustrations in which the superior court was mentioned. The Attorney General’s assent came in response to an appeal from a law student.
The consent of the Attorney General or Attorney General is necessary to initiate a contempt process against a person.
Venugopal had previously said that Kamra’s tweets were “in bad taste” and “crossed the line between humor and contempt.”
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