SC goes ahead with contempt proceedings against Bhushan

New Delhi, Jan 13 (PTI) The Supreme Court today decidedto go ahead with the contempt proceedings against advocatePrashant Bhushan following his refusal to apologise forallegedly casting aspersions on Chief Justice S H Kapadiaafter some exchanges whether it would open a ''Pandoras box''.

The court was also dissatisfied with the explanationgiven by Bhushan in this regard. At its last hearing, thecourt had asked Bhushan to apologise for dropping the contemptproceedings against him.

Bhushan contended he did not owe any furtherexplanation as his remarks on CJI was misconstrued by somepeople as imputation of financial corruption.

"On the issue of maintainability, we have held itagainst you. So you can go ahead on merit," a bench headed byJustice Altamas Kabir told Bhushan.

Senior advocate Ram Jethmalani appearing for theBhushan submitted that the proceeding, if allowed, would opena Pandora''s box.

"Everyone knows what is happening," he said adding,"For the last two years, people know what is happening in theapex court but no one dared to speak."

"People would suffer for talking truth but now millionsof people are ready to go behind the bars on the contemptpetition," he said.

The bench, however, refused to drop the proceedings andsaid, "If you want to open the Pandora''s box then open it."

Bhushan is facing contempt proceedings for hisinterview to ''Tehelka'' magazine in which he made someinsinuations against Justice Kapadia in 2009 as well as someother judges and previous Chief Justices of India.

He had said Justice Kapadia, being a member of theForest Bench along with then Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan,should not have heard the matter relating to Vedanta SterliteGroup as he held shares of the company.

Jethmalani said, "I don''t advise my client (Bhushan) tosay an apology to the court."

The contempt proceedings were initiated after seniorcounsel Harish Salve assisting the forest bench as amicuscuriae moved an application for action against Bhushan. PTIAAC RKS GSN