Activist-lawyer Prashant Bhushan said on Monday that paying off the token fine of Re 1 imposed on him by the Supreme Court in a contempt case does not mean that he has accepted the verdict and would file a review petition against the judgement.
Bhushan, who deposited the fine with the apex court Registry over his two tweets seen as contempt of court, said that he has received contributions from several corners of the country for paying the fine, and a “truth fund” will be created out of such contributions to provide legal aid to those who are prosecuted for dissenting opinions.
“Just because I’m paying the fine does not mean I have accepted the verdict. We are filing a review plea today. We have filed a writ petition that there must be an appeal procedure created for conviction under contempt,” Bhushan told the media before submitting the fine. “The State is using all means to silence voices of dissent. The ‘truth fund’ will be used to protect the personal liberty to those persons who face the State’s persecution”, said Bhushan who was accompanied by a group of people from Rajasthan.
The lawyer also spoke on the arrest of former Jawaharlal Nehru University student Umar Khalid for his alleged role in the Delhi riots and said the government is using all sorts of tactics to shut down criticism. The activist-lawyer had earlier said his tweets were not intended in any way to disrespect the Supreme Court or the judiciary, but they were an expression of his anguish at what he felt was the court’s deviation from its sterling record. A bench headed by Justice (retired) Arun Mishra asked Bhushan to deposit the fine by September 15, failing which he would have attracted a jail term of three months and debarment from law practice for three years.
Bhushan in his statement had refused to offer an apology to the Supreme Court for the tweets, saying what he had expressed represented his bona fide belief which he continued to hold.
- SC upholds constitutional validity of Aadhaar, but with conditions applied
- From Sept 1, individuals must deduct TDS on payments to contractors, professionals: Know all about it
- Twin towns cops face rap for case ‘against welfare of scheduled caste’
- NRC officials in Assam prepare status report, SC hearing nears
- Omo-Agege withdraws contempt charge against Saraki, says I’ve been paid
- Jeff Hughes case shows how a judge’s misbehavior can remain hidden forever in Louisiana
- Tesco shoppers fuming as it axes cash payments on ‘scan as you shop’ service
- How the rich get spending money: Locking fine art in storage and borrowing against it
- Why ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ Means So Much to
- Does Australia have one of the least generous paid parental leave schemes in the OECD?
- What does it mean to be British – and does it still matter?
- This USB-C Hub Does Everything: QacQoc GN30H Review
- What does Britishness mean to you?
- ‘Hardly Any Coverage’: Media Ignores UN Accusations of Torture in Manning, Assange Cases
- Does Everybody Really Hate Possums? The Bandwagon Effect
- You can buy a 'star name' online — but that doesn't mean it'll be officially recognised
- 'Lambs to the slaughter': Tens of thousands of savers have lost up to £10billion in rogue pensions schemes sanctioned by the government... and now the taxman is threatening VICTIMS with fines
- Your Paytm, Amazon Pay And PhonePe Wallet Will Work as Usual, till February 2020
- Supreme Court's decision to take up split-jury law casts long shadow over Louisiana's legal landscape
- Which is the best smartphone for less than £150?
Payment of Fine Does Not Mean I Have Accepted SC Verdict: Bhushan on Contempt Case have 583 words, post on www.news18.com at September 14, 2020. This is cached page on Law Breaking News. If you want remove this page, please contact us.