Vijay Kurle & Ors AIR 2020 SC 3927; MANU/SC/0413/2020 (SC) www.itatonline .org .

Contempt Court Act , 1971 .
S.5: Fair criticism of judicial act not contempt -Contempt of Court by Advocates- It is obvious that this is a concerted effort to virtually hold the Judiciary to ransom- All three contemnors are sentenced to undergo simple imprisonment for a period of 3 months each with a fine of Rs. 2000. [Advocate Act .1961 S.7(b) Constitution of India , 1949 Art , 129 142 ]

The main Contempt Petition was heard at length and disposed of on 27.04.2020. After the judgment was pronounced, the case was fixed on 01.05.2020 for hearing the contemnors on sentence. The contemnors filed applications for recall of the judgment and, therefore, the matter was listed today. One of us (Deepak Gupta, J.) is to demit office on 06.05.2020 and, therefore, the matter had to be heard and we see no ground for one of us to recuse. The application is accordingly rejected. Court held that  there is not an iota of remorse or any semblance of apology on behalf of the contemnors. In view of the scurrilous and scandalous allegations levelled against the judges of this Court and no remorse being shown by any of the contemnors we are of the considered view that they cannot be let off leniently. It is obvious that this is a concerted effort to virtually hold the Judiciary to ransom. All three contemnors are sentenced to undergo simple imprisonment for a period of 3 months each with a fine of Rs. 2000.  Court also held that  Keeping in view the COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown conditions we direct that this sentence shall come into force after 16 weeks from today when the contemnors should surrender before the Secretary General of this Court to undergo the imprisonment. Otherwise, warrants for their arrest shall be issued. ( Interim Application No 48502 of 2000  dt 4 -5 2020  [CA NO. 2413/2020 (Arising out of SLP(C) No. 12892/2019) dt. 6/5/2020]