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New Delhi:
Lawyer-activist Prashant Bhushan, held responsible of contempt for his tweets criticising Chief Justice of India SA Bobde and the Supreme Court, was immediately fined Re 1 by the highest courtroom. The 63-year-old has been requested to pay the high quality by September 15, failing which he can both face jail for 3 months or a ban from practising for 3 years.
“Freedom of speech cannot be curtailed,” stated the Supreme Court whereas handing down the sentence, referring to “sane advice” from Attorney General KK Venugopal to the courtroom and to Prashant Bhushan.
The judgment drew instantaneous reactions from members of the authorized fraternity and politicians, most of whom praised the highest courtroom for letting off the lawyer-activist with a “token punishment”.
“Without commenting on the merits of the case, the court has shown maturity. It would have been better if he had been forgiven. Court could have given him warning also but this is the best scenario. But this is a symbolic punishment, the minimum prescribed in the law. Court wanted to show majesty of law is Supreme and some punishment had to be given once found guilty. The punishment of Re 1 is token punishment and the rest are default clauses,” former Chief Justice of India Justice RM Lodha instructed NDTV.
Swaraj India chief Yogendra Yadav, who labored with Prashant Bhushan within the Aaam Aadmi Party earlier than they have been expelled from it, tweeted:
Let ‘Re 1’ be a nationwide motion#satyamevjayate#PrashantBhushan
– Yogendra Yadav (@_YogendraYadav) August 31, 2020
Karti P Chidambaram, Congress MP and son of senior Congress chief P Chidambaram, in the meantime, provided to “contribute” in direction of the high quality offered Mr Bhushan was keen to pay it.
Je suis #PrashantBhushan. Happy to contribute in direction of your high quality of Rs.1, in the event you select to pay. @pbhushan1
– Karti P Chidambaram (@KartiPC) August 31, 2020
NCP chief Majeed Memon additionally praised the highest courtroom judgment and urged Mr Bhushan to work collectively to “enhance the glory and prestige of our courts”.
“Hail SC observations ” freedom of expression can’t be curtailed” . Hence symbolic fine of ₹1 on Prashant Bhushan. Let us all hereafter, including Mr Bhushan, work together to enhance the glory and prestige of our courts,” he tweeted.
Meanwhile, some BJP chief stated it was a “smart” transfer by the courtroom to make Mr Bhushan to confess his offence.
BJP chief Amit Malviya, in-charge of BJP’s nationwide Information & Technology, in the meantime questioned whether or not Prashant Bhushan can pay the high quality and admit to his offence or be “more honourable” and threat jail sentence.
“Smart of Supreme Court to impose a 1 rupee fine on Prashant Bhushan, failing which he would be barred from practising for 3 years and face jail term of 3 months… Either way Bhushan loses. Will he pay the fine and admit to his offence or be more honourable? Hobson’s choice!,” he tweeted.
“Rs 1 is louder than a punch of thousands of crore,” stated Mr Malviya’s occasion colleague and senior Advocate Gaurav Bhatia saying that nobody was the regulation. “A slap of Rs 1 is louder than a punch of thousands of crore, this should have happened a long time back. No one is above the law. We are all foot soldiers of the institution, the institution is to be protected at any cost,” Mr Bhatia tweeted.
“Check mate!!”, tweeted BJP chief Priti Gandhi with #PresentSomeSpineDontPayFine
So if Prashant Bhushan chooses to not pay the ₹1 high quality imposed by the SC on him, he will likely be barred from practising regulation for three years & face jail time period of three months.
And if he pays the high quality, it means he’s admitting to his offence!!
Check mate!!#ShowSomeSpineDontPayFine
– Priti Gandhi – प्रीति गांधी (@MrsGandhi) August 31, 2020
Shortly after the judgment, Prashant Bhushan, who was photographed holding up a Re 1 coin, instructed reporters he would reveal later immediately whether or not he would pay the high quality or confront the opposite choices. The coin was handed to him by his lawyer Rajeev Dhavan after the order.
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