Delhi HC issues contempt notice to S Gurumurthy for tweets against sitting judge

State: Delhi

Year: 2018

Date: October 29, 2018

Source:

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/delhi-hc-issues-contempt-notice-to-s-gurumurthy-for-tweets-against-sitting-judge/articleshow/66419244.cms

Lawfare, Contempt of Court – Journalists

The Delhi high court on Monday issued contempt notice to the editor of a Chennai-based, Tamil news magazine for his tweets against Justice S Muralidhar. A bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Yogesh Khanna initiated contempt proceedings and sought response of Swaminathan Gurumurthy, the editor of the weekly ‘Thuglak’ magazine, and listed the matter for further hearing on December 11. Gurumurthy is also a part-time director of the Reserve Bank of India.

After the high court division bench headed by Justice S Muralidhar passed order on October 1, releasing rights activists Gautam Navlakha from house arrest in the Koregaon-Bhima violence case, Gurumurthy had tweeted alleging bias by Justice Muralidhar. The high court, which took up the matter after receiving a letter from advocate Rajshekhar Rao who sought contempt action against the scribe, said the tweets and online video making allegations against the judge be taken down. Rao, in his letter, has stated that the tweet was a deliberate attempt to attack a sitting high court judge.

Lawfare

Updated On: July 13, 2023

Delhi High Court discharges S Gurumurthy in 2018 Contempt Case for tweet on Justice S Muralidhar

Lawfare, Contempt of Court – Journalists

The Delhi High Court on Thursday ‘discharged’ Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) ideologue S Gurumurthy in 2018 Contempt proceedings initiated for his tweet on Justice S Muralidhar for the judgment in INX Media case.

The division bench of Justice Sidharth Mridul and Justice Gaurang Kanth said, “Mr. Tiku, learned Senior Counsel appearing for the association brings our attention to the reply of the show cause notice, brings our attention to Para….Mr. Tiku points out the apology expressed by S. Gurumurthy as well as the statement that he has the highest respect for the judiciary and in all humility is truly sorry for any offence that may have been caused”.

“Considered in conjunction, with the circumstance that Mr. S. Gurumurthy has since taken down all the allegedly offensive tweets, may constitute sufficient compliance with the directions issued by this court in July 2022. And the same therefore be accepted”, the court added. “In addition, we observe that Mr. S. Gurumurthy had appeared before this court in person on his own and expressed remorse. In view of the foregoing, and after considering the facts and circumstances elaborated herein above, we accept Mr. Gurumurthy’s apology and deep remorse for the subject incident and consider it appropriate to discharge him. Mr. S. Gurumurthy, therefore, stands discharged”, the court ordered.

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