Plea in SC seeks contempt proceedings against Rajdeep Sardesai

New Delhi: A plea has been moved in the Supreme Court seeking contempt proceedings against journalist Rajdeep Sardesai for his tweets critiquing the court verdict in the Prashant Bhushan case and other tweets connected with the judiciary.

The petitioner Astha Khurana, through advocate on record Om Prakash Parihar, has contended that Sardesai's statement is not only a cheap publicity stunt but a deliberate attempt to spread hatred in form of an anti-India campaign to resist in every way against the top court and judiciary as a machinery.

"That the Contemnor tweet is of serious nature putting a big question on sovereign function of Supreme Court and their abiding nature to the Constitution", said the plea.

The petitioner has also written to the Attorney General K K Venugopal seeking his consent as per Supreme Court Rules to initiate contempt proceedings against Sardesai. The petitioner cited one of the tweets by Sardesai where he had criticised the one-rupee penalty imposed on Bhushan by the court; and the other tweet citing that the top court cannot debar any lawyer from practice.

The plea argued that it is evident that Sardesai has disrespected the decision of the top court with impunity. "The Respondent (Sardesai) has wilfully disobeyed the decision of this Hon'ble Court and their conduct is contumacious. Therefore, a serious view of the conduct of the Respondent is required to be taken for ensuring proper administration of justice," said the plea.

The petitioner, referring to Sardesai as a 'habitual' contemnor, has urged the top court to pass an order initiating contempt proceeding against him for wilful and deliberate disobedience of the order of the top court.