Lawyers support Bhushan, say verdict holding him guilty not be given effect

New Delhi, August 17  

Several eminent lawyers have come out in support of Prashant Bhushan saying that the verdict against the activist-lawyer “must not be given effect to” until a larger Bench reviews the standard of criminal contempt in an open court hearing post pandemic.

A three judge Bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra, on August 14, had held Bhushan guilty of criminal contempt for his two derogatory tweets against the judiciary saying they cannot be said to be a fair criticism of the functioning of the judiciary made in the public interest.

Bhushan faces six months simple imprisonment or fine up to Rs 2,000 or both as the maximum punishment for the contempt. The top court would hear on August 20, the arguments on the quantum of sentence.

Former judges, activists and lawyers have been issuing statements in support of Bhushan.

The latest statement has been signed by as many as 41 senior lawyers including Bhushan’s lawyer and SCBA president Dushyant Dave.

“We are of the firm view that the judgment must not be given effect to, until a larger Bench, sitting in open court after the pandemic has the opportunity to review the standards of criminal contempt. We do believe that the Supreme Court will hear the Voice of the People expressed all around in last 72 hours on the subject and take corrective steps to prevent miscarriage of justice and restore the confidence and respect that citizens have generally reposed in it,” the statement said.

Senior advocates including Janak Dwarakadas, Navroz H Seervai, Dairus J Khambata, Jayant Bhushan, Arvind P Datar, Huzefa Ahamdi, C U Singh, Shyam Divan, Sanjay Hegde, Mihir Desai, Maneka Guruswamy, Bishwajit Bhattacharyya, Percy Kavina, Pallav Shishodia, Shekhar Naphade and Raju Ramachandran have signed the statement. PTI