The Supreme Courtroom on Friday, August 14, held activist law firm Prashant Bhushan responsible of contempt of court docket for his “derogatory” tweets criticising Main Justice of India SA Bobde and the judiciary.

The get was handed by a bench of Justices Arun Mishra, BR Gavai, and Krishna Murari. The apex court docket is yet to determine on the quantum of punishment, and the listening to on the sentence is scheduled on August 20.

What is the scenario

On July 22, the best court docket experienced issued see to Bhushan on the alleged contemptuous remarks on Twitter. The best courtroom also requested the Attorney Common to assist it on the subject. The apex court had questioned Bhushan and Twitter to file a reply by August 5.

“We are, prima facie, of the perspective that the aforesaid statements on Twitter have brought the administration of justice in disrepute and are able of undermining the dignity and authority of the Institution of Supreme Court docket in general and the business of the Chief Justice of India in distinct, in the eyes of general public at huge,” reported the court in its buy.

Prashant Bhushan had moved the Supreme Court docket trying to get remember of its July 22 get.

In his reply to a show-induce detect issued by the Supreme Courtroom, Prashant Bhushan reported the expression of impression, “on the other hand outspoken, unpleasant or unpalatable to some”, are not able to constitute contempt of court.

Prashant Bhushan also referred to the liberty of speech and expression under Posting 19 (1)(a) of the Constitution and mentioned this correct was the top guardian of all the values that the Structure holds sacred.

The Supreme Courtroom initiated suo motu contempt proceedings from Bhushan for allegedly generating derogatory opinions in opposition to the top rated court on June 27 in a tweet that alleged that the past four Main Justices experienced performed a purpose in the “destruction of democracy” throughout undeclared “unexpected emergency” for the previous 6 several years. Another tweet on June 29 alleged that the “existing Chief Justice” rode bicycle in Nagpur “while maintaining the apex court in lockdown and denying citizens their proper to obtain to justice”.