‘Tweets are not intended to disrespect the Supreme Court, the judiciary’: Prashant Bhushan after verdict


Lawyer Prashant Bhushan, who was found guilty of contempt by the Supreme Court, said he will happily accept the sentence, but will present a review.

“I propose to submit to this order and respectfully pay the fine. But I reserve the right to request a review of the conviction and sentence, ”Bhushan said while reading a statement at a press conference in New Delhi.

He was found guilty of contempt by the Supreme Court for his two tweets that, according to the court, were against the judiciary and argued that they cannot be said to be a fair criticism of the functioning of the judiciary made in the public interest.

The lawyer said that he always had the highest respect for the Supreme Court. “My tweets were not intended to disrespect the Supreme Court or the judiciary as a whole, but were simply intended to express my distress, from what I felt it was a departure from their excellent past record,” he said. Bhushan.

“This issue was never about me against the honorable judges, much less about me against the Supreme Court. When the Supreme Court wins, all Indians win; Every Indian wants a strong judiciary, ”added Bhushan.

He ended the short statement with the cry of “Long live democracy, Satyamev Jayate.”

Also read: How Prashant Bhushan’s criminal contempt case progressed in the Supreme Court

A bank headed by Judge Arun Mishra has asked Bhushan to deposit the fine before September 15, otherwise he will receive a three-month jail term and exclusion from the practice of law for three years.

Freedom of expression cannot be restricted, but the rights of others must be respected, said the court, which also includes judges BR Gavai and Krishna Murari.

Bhushan, in his statement, had refused to offer an apology to the Supreme Court for the tweets, saying that what he had expressed represented his genuine faith that he continued to uphold. On August 25, top lawyer Rajeev Dhavan had urged the higher court to show “judicial political skill” and not make Bhushan a “martyr” by punishing him in contempt for the tweets, after the activist-lawyer rejected the new court suggestions for an apology. .

Dhavan, representing Bhushan, had suggested that the high court recall the August 14 verdict condemning the activist lawyer and not impose any sentence. He urged him not only to close the case but also to end the controversy.

Judge Mishra will resign from his post on September 2.

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