Date:22/09/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/09/22/stories/2007092258280100.htm

Front Page

Jail sentence for scribes

Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Friday sentenced the Editor, the Resident Editor, the Publisher and the cartoonist of English tabloid Mid-Day to four-month imprisonment in a contempt of court case.

The four were convicted of carrying a scandalous report and a cartoon of the former Chief Justice of India, Y.K. Sabharwal, aimed at lowering the dignity of the Supreme Court in the eyes of the common man.

However, a Division Bench of the court, comprising Justice R.S. Sodhi and Justice B.N. Chaturvedi, released the four on bail on each of them furnishing a bond of Rs.10,000 with two sureties for a like amount as directed by the Supreme Court on Thursday.

The court held them guilty on September 11.

Earlier, the court initiated the contempt proceedings following the submission of a copy of the May 18 edition of the tabloid by senior advocate R.K. Anand accusing it of scandalising Mr. Justice Sabharwal by publishing the article and the cartoon.

The report alleged that the sons of Mr. Justice Sabharwal had benefited from the orders passed by the Supreme Court in connection with the sealing of commercial establishments in residential areas in the capital and that they (thesons of the former Chief Justice) were operating their business from the official residence of his father.