Supreme Court Registers Suo Motu Contempt Case Against Journalist Rajdeep Sardesai

Taking cognizance of journalist Rajdeep Sardesai’s tweets that allegedly scandalised the judiciary, the Supreme Court on Tuesday registered a case against him.

The apex court registered the case following a petition filed by one Aastha Khurana through advocate Om Prakash Parihar under Article 129 of the Constitution to the Chief Justice of India for initiating contempt proceedings against Sardesai.

On September 17, 2020, Attorney General K K Venugopal had declined his consent to initiate contempt action against Sardesai.

“That the present contempt petition under Article 129 of the Constitution of India is being filed by the petitioner against the alleged contemnor/respondent for wilful disobedient comments passed on each and every decision/judgement passed by this court which leads to cause disrespect to the superior court of India in the minds of citizens of India”, the plea has said.

Article 129, of the Constitution states that the Supreme Court shall be a court of record and shall have all the powers of such a court including the power to punish for contempt of itself.

The plea has said that the top court in the past has passed various landmark judgement and on each judgement, the alleged contemnor has passed various disrespectful comment and questioned the fairness and credibility of the court.

It referred to tweet by Sardesai made on August 31, 2020 in respect to the top court verdict imposing a fine of Rs one on advocate Prashant Bhushan for contempt of court.

(With PTI inputs)