Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri discharged in contempt case after he tenders unconditional apology
New Delhi, April 10
The Delhi High Court on Monday discharged filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri in a contempt of court case after he appeared in person before it and tendered an unconditional apology.
“In view of the circumstances that Vivek Agnihotri stated that he has utmost respect for the institution of judiciary and did not intend to wilfully offend the majesty of this court, the notice to show cause issued to him is hereby recalled. Vivek Agnihotri stands discharged as the alleged contemnor,” a Bench led by Justice Siddharth Mridul said.
Before accepting Agnihotri’s unconditional apology and discharging him of the contempt charge, the Bench cautioned him against making comments against judges and asked him to be careful in the future.
The lawyer appearing for another alleged contemnor, Anand Ranganathan, assured the court that he would remain present before it on May 24, the next date of hearing in the case.
The Bench said courts do not punish for contempt to secure their dignity as the dignity of courts does not come from what people have to say about the judiciary but from the duties the courts discharge.
The contempt of court proceedings were initiated against Agnihotri and others by the high court in 2018 after the filmmaker put out tweets alleging bias against Justice S Muralidhar, then a judge of the Delhi High Court, for his order to release activist Gautam Navlakha from house arrest in the Bhima-Koregaon violence case. Justice Muralidhar is currently the Chief Justice of the Orissa High Court.
“Twitter is a great source of misery,” said the high court which had on December 6, 2022 asked Agnihotri to “show remorse in person” after he filed an affidavit tendering an unconditional apology.
“Our dignity is founded on a stronger foundation and not on what somebody says about us. There are times when you have to give quietus to things,” the Bench said, adding it had kept the matter pending only to make it clear that “you can’t make things irresponsibly”. (With Agency inputs)
