Supreme Court accepts Lalit Modi's apology, drops contempt move

In a statement a few days ago, former IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi reiterated that he had the highest regard for the Indian Judicial System and the majesty of the Courts. Today, a bench of the Supreme Court accepted his apology saying that the court would always believe in forgiveness.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday dropped contempt proceedings initiated against former IPL chairman Lalit Modi following his unconditional apology over his alleged remarks against the judiciary. The apex court also instructed the IPL founder to abstain from taking up any activity that sullies the image of the judiciary in future.

The former Indian Premier League commissioner tendered an unconditional apology for social media posts against the judiciary. The contempt proceedings were dropped by a bench of Justices MR Shah and CT Ravikumar after considering an affidavit filed by Lalit Modi, who said that he will not do anything in future to undermine the dignity of courts and judiciary.

Accepting Lalit Modi's apology, the bench said that any such attempt in future on the part of the respondent would be taken very seriously. The apology was accepted because the court always believes in the quality of forgiveness, it said and added that everybody should the judiciary as an institution.

In a statement recently, Lalit Modi tendered his unconditional public apology for his social media post, dated January 13, 2023, and for his tweet dated March 30, 2023. He reiterated that he had the highest regard for the Indian Judicial System and the majesty of the Courts, and that he would not do anything which is inconsistent with the majesty or dignity of the Courts or the Indian Judiciary, in any manner.

Lalit Modi's statement came after the apex court, on April 13, took a serious view and directed him to tender an unconditional apology on social media as well as in national newspapers. Stating that Lalit Modi is not above the law, the bench ordered him to also file his apology in the form of an affidavit before it.