Contempt decision against comic actor Taneja on Friday

A Supreme Court bench comprising Justices Ashok Bhushan, R Subhash Reddy and M R Shah on Friday will pronounce its order on a plea seeking initiation of criminal contempt proceedings against comic artist Rachita Taneja for her alleged objectionable tweets against the apex court.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court would pronounce its order on Friday on a plea seeking initiation of criminal contempt proceedings against comic artist Rachita Taneja for her alleged objectionable tweets against the apex court.

A bench comprising Justices Ashok Bhushan, R Subhash Reddy and M R Shah on Thursday took note of the fact that Attorney General K K Venugopal has consented to the plea filed by law student Aditya Kashyap against the comic artist.

In the proceeding conducted via video conferencing, the top court was told by senior advocate P S Narasimha that the tweets have no iota of discussion on the merits of the case itself but is intended to scandalise the court.

We have the clear opinion of the Attorney General where he is of the view that a prima facie contempt is made out, the lawyer said.

The Attorney General has opined that the tweet is deliberately intended to shake the confidence of the public in the judiciary, he said.

The top court would now pronounce the order on Friday whether to initiate criminal contempt proceedings against her.

Venugopal, in his consent letter to Kashyap for initiating criminal contempt proceedings against Taneja, said, "I am satisfied that each one of the tweets with the cartoons attached to them is in contempt of the Supreme Court of India, and hence I give my consent to initiate proceedings under the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971 in regard to each one of the tweets.

PTI