Prashant Bhushan pays Re 1 fine in contempt case, vows to seek review of SC judgment

Supreme Court advocate Prashant Bhushan, convicted in the contempt case, on Monday deposited the fine of one rupee that was imposed on him by the top court earlier, as the quantum of sentence. The Supreme Court had earlier asked the lawyer to pay the fine of Rupee 1 by September 15 or spend three months in prison.

Supreme Court advocate Prashant Bhushan, convicted in the contempt case, on Monday deposited the fine of one rupee that was imposed on him by the top court earlier, as the quantum of sentence. The Supreme Court had earlier asked the lawyer to pay the fine of Rupee 1 by September 15 or spend three months in prison.

Bhushan on this day said that him depositing the Re. 1 penalty does not mean that he is accepting the Supreme Court judgement and further informed that he and his team will be filing a review petition in the matter today itself.

The lawyer also said that a 'Truth Fund' is being created, the money from which will exclusively be used in the service of those who are being implicated or "harassed" for speaking out against the government.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan brought in further allegations by reflecting on the state of the country today, lamenting that "all sorts of tactics" are being used in India these days to stifle the voices of those who speak out against the government. Bhushan said that this puts the right to "freedom of expression" in direct danger.

He also alleged that Umar Khalid was arrested only for speaking out against the government, while public intellectuals are routinely being harassed for the same reason.

"Umar Khalid's arrest by Delhi Police after naming Yechury, Yogendra Yadav, Jayati Ghosh and Apoorvanand leaves no doubt at all about the mala fide nature of its investigation into Delhi riots. It’s a conspiracy by the police to frame peaceful activists in the guise of Investigation,” he said in a tweet.

The court had earlier this month convicted Bhushan over his two tweets against the judiciary.Bhushan, who has been found guilty for his tweets against the apex court and Chief Justice of India (CJI) SA Bobde, was told by the apex court that he will also be debarred from practise for three years if he failed to pay the fine.

During the hearing, the apex court had said it had hoped that Bhushan would improve his attitude when he filed his additional statement in the court last Monday, but he did not do so. The Supreme Court said that Bhushan was given a chance. A mistake is always a mistake and the person concerned must realize it. However, the advocate had said that he won't apologize.

Bhushan was earlier this month held guilty of contempt of court by the Supreme Court for two of his tweets, the first one posted on June 29, related to his post on a picture of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sharad Arvind Bobde on a high-end bike.

In his second tweet, Bhushan expressed his opinion on the role of last four CJIs amid the state of affairs in the country. Meanwhile, another contempt of court case against Prashant Bhushan is also pending before the top court.