SC directs Jharkhand lawyer to tender unconditional apology in High Court
The Supreme Court on Friday asked a Jharkhand-based lawyer to tender an unconditional apology before the high court in a suo-motu contempt proceedings, which stemmed from a viral court-room exchange where he allegedly told a judge, “Don’t cross the limit.”
A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi disposed of the petition, granting Mahesh Tiwari the liberty to file an unconditional apology before a five-judge high court bench which had issued a contempt notice against him in October last year. The Supreme Court requested the high court to consider the apology “sympathetically.”
“Aggrieved by the criminal contempt notice, the petitioner is before us. While explaining at length that the petitioner did not mean to cause disrespect to the Hon’ble judge or obstruct the judicial proceedings…. The learned senior counsel submits that the petitioner is extremely repentant and is willing to render an unconditional apology. “Having regard to the above-mentioned stand, we dispose of this with liberty to the petitioner to submit an affidavit of unconditional apology before the high court. We request the high court to consider the apology sympathetically,” the bench ordered.
During the hearing, senior advocate Siddharth Dave, appearing for the lawyer, submitted that the petitioner was “extremely repentant” and prepared to render an unconditional apology.
However, the bench expressed stern reservations regarding the conduct of the lawyer. The CJI remarked on the lawyer’s apparent defiance, stating, “Why cannot he explain this before the judges? This is his obstinate character. Let him face them... Let him explain. If he wants to show eyes there... Let him show and then we will see. We know how to deal with this.” Justice Joymalya Bagchi also referred to the declining standards of courtroom decorum.
