Bhushan deposits Rs1 fine, but files review plea too
Quote:
Sedition vs free speech
“Sedition is being used as a sort of iron hand to curb free speech. Suddenly you have a lot of cases charging people with sedition” Justice MB Lokur, ex-SC Judge
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, September 14
Activist-lawyer Prashant Bhushan on Monday paid the Re 1 fine imposed on him by the Supreme Court and filed a petition seeking review of the court verdict convicting him of scandalising the judiciary by his tweets against CJI SA Bobde and four former CJIs.
“Just because I’m paying the fine does not mean I have accepted the verdict,” said Bhushan, who was held guilty of contempt of court by a three-judge Bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra (since retired) on August 14. The quantum of the sentence was pronounced on August 31 after Bhushan refused to apologise.
Bhushan said he has received Re 1 from a large number of people and the money will be used for creating a ‘Truth Fund’. Interestingly, he paid the Re 1 fine through a bank draft.
“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,” Bhushan, who was accompanied by a group of activists, told reporters before depositing the fine.
In his 444-page review petition, Bhushan demanded “oral hearing in the open court”, saying there were several errors apparent in the verdict sought to be reviewed.
Meanwhile, several activists, including former Supreme Court Judge MB Lokur and senior journalist N Ram, held a webinar in which they talked about “shrinking space for free speech”. They said Bhushan didn’t intend to scandalise the judiciary.
Citing examples of journalists reporting on Covid19-related issues, such as lack of ventilators, being charged with fake news provisions, Justice Lokur said, “State is using sedition as an iron hand to curb free speech. Suddenly you have a lot of cases charging people with sedition. A common citizen who says something is charged with sedition. Already 70 cases of sedition have been seen this year.”
