New Delhi : August 31, 2020. Following is the chronology of events in which the Supreme Court on Monday imposed a token fine of Re 1 on activist-lawyer Prashant Bhushan in a contempt case, which will have to be paid by September 15.
– June 27: Bhushan tweets about an undeclared emergency in the country and the role of the Supreme Court and last four chief justices of India.
– June 29: Bhushan tweets about Chief Justice S A Bobde trying a Harley Davidson super-bike in his hometown Nagpur during the coronavirus outbreak.
– July 22: SC initiates contempt proceedings against Bhushan after taking note of a complaint filed by a lawyer in this regard; issues notice to him.
— August 14: SC holds Bhushan guilty of criminal contempt for his both tweets ‘against the judiciary’.
– August 24: Bhushan files a response refusing to apologise to the SC while hearing argument of point of quantum of sentence.
– August 25: Attorney General K K Venugopal urges SC to let Bhushan off the hook.
– SC once again asks Bhushan to apologies. He refuses.
– SC reserves judgment on Bhushan’s sentencing.
– August 31: SC imposes fine of Re 1 on Bhushan, to be paid by September 15; default to lead to 3-month-jail term, debarment from practice in the apex court for 3 years.
