The Supreme Court of
India held activist-lawyer Prashant Bhushan guilty of contempt of court for
his contemptuous tweets against the judiciary. Following the ruling, the apex
court granted Bhushan time till August 24 to reconsider his defiant statement
of refusing to apologise and tender unconditional apology for his tweets.

The top court, while
reserving its verdict on the quantum of sentence to be awarded to Bhushan in
the case, also rejected his submission seeking deferment of the hearing till
his yet-to-be-filed review plea against its verdict, which held him guilty of
contempt of the court is decided, reported news agency PTI.

Also read: ‘Defer sentence… heavens won’t fall’, says Prashant Bhushan; top court gives him 2 days time

A bench headed by
Justice Arun Mishra on August 20 said, that it may now hear the matter on August
25 for considering the “unconditional apology”, if filed by Bhushan.

“Arguments have been
heard in the main matter, on sentencing. Order reserved. We have given time to
the contemnor (Bhushan) to submit unconditional apology, if he so desires. Let
it be filed by August 24. In case, apology is submitted, the case to be posted
for consideration on the same, on August 25,” the bench said in the order.

Bhushan had submitted
to the court that his case be transferred to another bench. To which, the court
assured him that it will be fair to him and the punishment will not be enforced
till his review plea against the conviction is decided.

Also read: Held guilty of contempt, Prashant Bhushan seeks deferment of sentence hearing

“In the event we
decide to impose any kind of punishment, we assure you that it would not be in
operation till the review is decided. Don’t worry, we will be fair to you, even
if you are not fair to us,” a bench comprising Justices Arun Mishra, B R Gavai
and Krishna Murari said.

Bhushan faces imprisonment
of up to six months or with a fine of up to Rs 2,000 or with both as
punishment.

“We can give you time
and it is better if you (Bhushan) reconsider it. Think over it. We will give
you two-three days’ time,” the bench told Bhushan, who held his ground by
refusing to apologise for the tweets.

“I did not tweet in a
fit of absence mindedness. It would be insincere and contemptuous on my part to
offer an apology for the tweets that expressed what was and continues to be my
bona fide belief,” Bhushan said.

On August 14, in its
108-page verdict, the top court had said: “The tweets which are based on the
distorted facts, in our considered view, amount to committing criminal
contempt.”