On Wednesday Solicitor General Tushar Mehta refused to give consent on the action of criminal contempt against the famous actor Swara Bhaskar.
She was alleged for “derogatory and scandalous” statement towards the Supreme Court of India on 01 Feb 2020 over the Babri Masjid – Ramjanmabhoomi dispute case which was conducted in the month on Nov last year in which the court ordered to handover the land to the Hindus to build a temple.
Mr. Mehta had sent a short letter to Usha Shetty, karnataka – resident. He said in letter, “it was ‘misconceived’ to approach him when K.K. Venugopal had already declined his consent under the Contempt of Courts Act on August 21”.
Ms. Shetty on receiving the letter she sought by saying that she ‘respectfully differs’ with Attorney General K.K. Venugopal.
It is necessary for the Supreme Court to have the prior consent of the Attorney General or Solicitor General of India, under the sec.15 of Contempt of Courts Act 1971,
According to the petition,
the alleged objectionable comment of Swara Bhaskar states, “ we are now in a situation where our courts are not sure whether they believe in the constitution or not… What then do we do and it seems to me that as that everyone ha said that the path is clear to us and it has been shown to us by you all whoever of you all have been part of the protest by the students by the women and by the citizen protestors it is to resist.. We are living in a country where the Supreme Court of our country states in a judgement that the demolition of Babri Masjid was unlawful and in the same judgement rewards the same people who brought down the Mosque”.
In the plea it states that it is not merely a “cheap stunt for publicity” but it was an attempt to turn the people against the Supreme Court.
In a meeting held on February the Attorney General K.K Venugopal refused to give his assent on this matter. He clearly says there is no need to pay much attention on Ms. Swara’s statement as the statement of Swara Bhaskar’s ‘not an attack towards the society’.
Mr. Venugopal refused to give his consent
as was not an attack or misconduct towards the Supreme Court it is just an indication. He states that if it moves to the Contempt procedure then it will be like giving more stress to the statement made by Swara Bhaskar which is not necessary.
“ I do not think that this is a case where the offence of scandalising the court would lowering the authority of the court would arise. I, therefore, decline consent to initiate contempt proceedings against Swara Bhaskar”. Venugopal said.
