Prashant Bhushan accepts to pay SC's 'Re 1 fine' in contempt case; will file for review

Accepting the Supreme Court's sentencing of Re-1  in his contempt case, senior advocate Prashant Bhushan, on Monday said that he will pay the fine levied on himAccepting the Supreme Court's sentencing of Re-1  in his contempt case, senior advocate Prashant Bhushan, on Monday said that he will pay the fine levied on him but will file an appeal against the sentencing, as per his right. Addressing a press conference, he said that the contempt case was a watershed moment for 'freedom of speech'. Thanking his legal team, he said that his tweets were not aimed to malign the SC but to point out its deviation from its stellar standards. With Justice Arun Mishra, who was heading the 3-judge bench, retiring on September 2, the review petition will have to be listed before a different SC bench.

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Bhushan: 'I will pay the fine'

"SC has pronounced the verdict and levied a Re 1 fine. I had said that I will accept the SC verdict, subject to my right to appeal. I will pay the fine but I will file the writ petition seeking a review of the sentencing. My tweet was not to malign the SC but was to point out that the SC had fallen slightly from its stellar record recently. This case has become a watershed moment for freedom of speech.  I am confident that the truth will triumph. I wish to thank my entire legal team - especially Rajeev Dhawan and Dushyant Dave, and all the people who supported me," he said.

Prashant Bhushan's choice: 3 months jail & 3 years SC disbarment, or Rs 1 fine & his pride

SC: Pay Re 1 or 3-month jail & 3-yr disbarment

Earlier in the day, the apex court's 3-judge Bench in its judgment sentenced Bhushan to pay a fine of 1 Rupee by September 15 or face three months in prison and three-year disbarment from practising in the Supreme Court - in case of non-payment. The bench had also criticised  Bhushan’s actions during the pendency of the contempt case against him stating that he had tried to interfere with the ongoing judicial process by releasing his statements in the press even before they were filed before the top court. The SC bench had convicted Bhushan guilty of contempt of court for his two tweets on the judiciary and CJI SA Bobade.

Prashant Bhushan accepts counsel Rajeev Dhawan's 'Re 1 donation' after SC's sentencing

SC holds Bhushan guilty

On 14 August, the SC had held Bhushan guilty of contempt of court for posting tweets to malign the image of the judiciary. Maintaining that Bhushan's tweet commenting on CJI SA Bobde's photo on a motorcycle in Nagpur and alleging the 'SC is under lockdown' was factually incorrect and could  'shake the confidence' of the public. Observing on Bhushan's second tweet alleging the SC and the previous four CJI's role in the 'destruction of Indian democracy in the past 6 years', the SC said that the criticism is not against a particular judge but the institution of the Supreme Court and the institution of the CJI. 

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Bhushan sought a deferment on his sentencing and said, “I do not ask for mercy, I do not appeal to magnanimity. I am here, therefore, to cheerfully submit to any penalty that can lawfully be inflicted upon me for what the Court has determined to be an offence, and what appears to me to be the highest duty of a citizen,” in his statement. Attorney General KK Venugopal requested the bench to spare Bhushan from punishment and forgive or warn him, while Bhushan's counsel Rajeev Dhavan called for statesmanship from the court. When the SC ordered him to render an unconditional apology, he said that 'an insincere apology would amount to contempt of his conscience'.