The Supreme Court in a rare judgment on Tuesday rejected the apology of former interim CBI Director M Nageswara Rao and agency top law officer S Bhasuram and awarded them day-long courtroom detention for “brazen” contempt of its orders and asked them to sit in a corner of the court till it rises for the day. The punishment is reminiscent of the classroom rebuke generally handed out to students by teachers for indiscipline.

Strongly rebuking the two officials, the SC also imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh each for transferring out an officer who was probing the Bihar shelter homes sexual assault cases despite an embargo put by the apex court.

Sparing Rao and Bhasuram jail, the apex court held them guilty for “wilfully disobeying” its orders by transferring CBI Joint Director AK Sharma, as Additional Director General of CRPF on January 18.

“In our considered view, it is a case where contempt has been committed by both the then acting CBI Director, MN Rao, and the director prosecution (of the agency)” said a Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi.

Rao and Bhasuram, who on Monday had already tendered unconditional and unqualified apologies for their roles in the transfer of Sharma, were in for a rude shock as the Bench expressed its mind on their culpability for contempt at the outset. Holding them guilty of contempt of court, the Bench, also comprising justices LN Rao and Sanjiv Khanna, said, “We could not have done anything else”.

“We have heard Rao and Bhasuram for commission of contempt of court and we impose one lakh fine and sentence them till the rising of the court. Go to one corner of the court and sit down till the rising of this court,” the Bench noted.

Both remained in a corner of the CJI’s courtroom till 4 pm, the normal working hours of the judicial side of the apex court. They also remained seated during the lunch session.

The Bench did not allow Attorney General KK Venugopal’s request that the two officers be allowed to leave even at 3.40 pm — 20 minutes ahead of time.  The CJI responded furiously to Venugopal’s plea saying, “What’s this? Do you want us to sentence him till the rising of the court tomorrow? Go and sit where you were.”

Before passing the order in the pre-lunch session, the Bench told Rao and Bhasuram they have been held guilty of contempt of court and it was not accepting their unconditional and unqualified apologies. At the outset, the Attorney General, appearing for CBI and its officers, referred to the noting on the file related to the transfer of Sharma and said that it was a case of “error of judgment” on Rao’s part as he had acted on the “incorrect legal advice”.

“It is not wilful. Facts are little muddled… Rao has put himself to the mercy of this court,” Venugopal said and sought leniency from the Bench.

“Let us see the sequence of events. From the note of the Acting (CBI) Director, this much is obvious that he knew that there was an order of the Supreme Court (against the transfer of the CBI officer). He also seeks the opinion of the legal adviser,” the Bench said.

Later, Rao approved the relieving order of the CBI officer without “satisfying” himself whether the sanction of the court has been secured or not and “if this is not the contempt then what is contempt,” the bench said, adding “the axe falls on the Supreme Court orders”.

“He is the Acting Director of the CBI…Would the heavens have fallen if the relieving orders were passed after taking the Supreme Court into confidence,” the furious CJI remarked.

The CJI told the Attorney General “Let us be very clear that I don’t think any of us have as judges had the opportunity to invoke the jurisdiction of the contempt”.

“We are and I can say I have not invoked the contempt powers and punished anyone. Speaking for myself I can say I have not invoked contempt power in the last 20 years. However, the dignity and majesty of the court has to be maintained,” the CJI noted.

“But this is brazen”, the CJI said, adding he was of the “firm view” that “the majesty of judiciary” has to be maintained.

At this moment, the Attorney General said, “To err is human, to forgive is divine.”

The Bench said the officers have committed the contempt and asked, “Why a contemnor should be defended at Government expenses?”

Rao did not even seek “post facto” approval of the apex court to the decision for two weeks,” the Bench said.

Rejecting the defence of the two officers, the Bench said though they have tendered an unconditional and unqualified apology, “we don’t agree with the contentions raised by them”.

Rao’s “attitude is ‘I have done what I thought was required’,” the Bench said.

“This is a blatant contempt of court. If this is not contempt of court then what is,” asked the Bench.

The court had on February 7 come down heavily on the CBI for transferring Sharma out of the agency in violation of the court’s order.

It had also taken note of the violation of two earlier orders and issued contempt notice to Rao.

Wednesday, 13 February 2019 | PNS | New Delhi

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