AAP Leaders Delete Posts Against HC Judge
Delhi High Court told contemnors removed contested social media posts against Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma; four weeks granted to file replies
Synopsis
On August 8, the Delhi High Court was informed that journalist Saurav Das and AAP leaders Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, Saurabh Bharadwaj and Gopal Rai have removed their social media posts from same today regarding Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma. The court directed respondents to submit replies in the suo-motu criminal contempt proceedings in four weeks and the matter was put on September 21.
AdvertisementElectronic record preserved
Advocate Ashok Chaitanya, who initiated the criminal contempt case against Das, Kejriwal, Sisodia, Saurabh Bharadwaj and Gopal Rai, informed a Division Bench of Justices Navin Chawla and Ravinder Dudeja that the allegedly contemptuous social media posts had since been removed. Chaitanya, in person, informed the court that he had preserved the material anyway.
They seem to have taken the stuff that I have relied on, but I have a copy of that somewhere. That is available with me, I can put the electronic copy. The Bench allowed him to make it on file and gave all respondents 4 weeks to file their reply, advance copy to Amicus Curiae, and scheduled for further hearing on September 21. However, HC issues criminal contempt notice to Kejriwal for the vilification of posts on social media against Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma.
AdvertisementHow the Case Began
It is arising out of a suo-motu criminal contempt reference filed by Justice Sharma in the Delhi excise policy case. The judge said that she would launch contempt proceedings against Kejriwal and senior AAP leaders Sanjay Singh, Sisodia and Saurabh Bharadwaj for allegedly defamatory and contemptuous posts made on social media against her and the court on May 14.
Significantly, after initiating proceedings, Justice Sharma has recused herself from further hearing of the excise policy case, in which Kejriwal and Sisodia are accused, so that a fresh bench could hear it.
The video of her speech at a college function, which was "circulated out of context", was "extremely vilifying, extremely contemptuous and defamatory" material, she had earlier pointed out, to both her and the court, against some of the respondents. Three days later, the Delhi High Court summoned Kejriwal for a hearing, ordering him to file a plea of contempt in the court about his online campaign against Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma.
The Division Bench had on 19 May issued a notice to Kejriwal, Sisodia, Sanjay Singh and other AAP leaders for the defamatory and vilifying comments. Chaitanya filed a separate criminal contempt petition under Section 15(1)(c) of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, in conjunction with Article 215 of the Constitution of India, against the leaders for allegedly conducting a coordinated online campaign to scandalise the judiciary and obstruct proceedings in the Delhi excise policy case.
AdvertisementThe plea pointed to a post by Kejriwal on April 27 which allegedly showed “a lack of faith in the court” and a boycott of court proceedings, which he allegedly had pinned on his profile. Delhi HC judge Swarana Kanta Sharma has recused from the excise policy case against Arvind Kejriwal alleging contempt of court, slamming him for it.
