J R PARASHAR ADVOCATE Vs. PRASANT BHUSHAN ADVOCATE

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The allegations in this contempt application relate to an incident which is alleged to have taken place on 30th December, 2000. According to the petiion, on that day, the respondent led a huge crowd and held a 'dharna' in front of this Court and shouted abusive slogans against this Court including slogans ascribing lack of integrity and dishonesty to the Institution. This was done in the presence of the media. The petition alleges that the petitioners protested but were attacked and assaulted by the respondents who called them 'brokers' of this Court. The petition goes on that state that to evening at 6.00 P.M. while the petitioners were watching the police officials trying to disperse the crowd, the respondents again attacked, abused and assaulted the petitioners. On the next day at 1.00 pm. the petitioners lodged a complaint with the Tilak Marg, Police Station. A copy of the complaint has been annexed to the petition. According to the petition the dharna, slogan shouting and assault on the petitioners were designed to compel the Court to decide a pending application filed by the respondents before this court in the respondent's favour.

(2.) Given the allegations in the petition that the respondents had incited a crowd by shouting slogans attacking the integrity of the Judges of this Court, notices were issued to the respondents of the application, so that they could give their version of the incident, if it had taken place at all.

(3.) Each of the three respondents have filed separate affidavits in response to the notice. All three respondents have admitted that there was a dharna outside the gates of this Court on 30th December, 2000. The dharna had been organized by the Narmada Bachao Andolan and the gathered crowd were persons who lived in the Narmada Valley and were aggrieved by the majority judgment of this court relating to the building of the dam on the Narmada River.