SC notice to Arundathi Roy

By Our Legal Correspondent

NEW DELHI, AUG. 28. The Supreme Court today issued notice to the Booker Prize winner, Ms. Arundathi Roy, as to why she ``should not be proceeded against for contempt for statements'' in three specified paragraphs in her affidavit filed in response to an earlier court notice on a petition filed by some advocates seeking action against her and two others.

A Bench comprising Mr. Justice G.B. Pattanaik and Mrs. Ruma Pal, at the same time, dismissed the petition in view of several flaws and discharged two others, the Narmada Bachao Andolan activist (NBA), Ms. Medha Patkar and advocate, Mr. Prashant Bhushan, who were also issued contempt notice.

The Bench in its order held that Ms. Roy ``appears to us, prima facie, to have committed contempt. She has imputed motives to specific courts for entertaining litigation or passing orders against her. She has accused courts of `harassing' her (of which the present proceeding has been cited as an instance) as if the judiciary were carrying out a personal vendetta against her''.

Referring to Ms. Medha Patkar, the Bench said ``no personal motive has been ascribed by her to any particular Judge. Her comments are general in nature and may be construed as the expression of a perceived error in the decision of superior courts in their contempt jurisdiction''.

Regarding Mr. Prashant Bhushan, the Bench noted that the advocate had asserted that he did not approve holding of a dharna against the judgment of this court and he had denied that he shouted any slogan against the court.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Front Page
Previous : PM to address U.N. Assembly on Sept. 25
Next     : Nuns attacked in Gujarat