Attorney General KK Venugopal has given his consent to initiate contempt proceedings against journalist Ajeet Bharti for a video where he is alleged to have made objectionable comments against the Judiciary. It is alleged that the video posted on the YouTube channel of his media initiative DO Politics had “scurrilous” “vituperative” and “highly derogatory” words against Supreme Court and its judges.
https://twitter.com/LiveLawIndia/status/1437772512138612744?ref_src=twsrc%5EtfwEarlier in July, Kritika Singh from Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University, had written to the attorney general for sanction to initiate contempt proceedings against Ajeet Bharti, LawBeat had reported. The law graduate had alleged that the journalist maligned the reputation of the Courts using vile and obscene language. It is claimed that Bharti had leveled allegations of nepotism, rampant corruption and directing protests across the country.
Singh said in her letter, “The foundation of justice delivery system has always been so strong that it never allowed anyone to obstruct the way towards equal justice by publicly using abusive language against the Hon’ble Courts and its Hon’ble Judges. As a responsible citizen of this country and a student of law, I would be failing in my duty if I turned a blind eye to this grave attack on the integrity of my Hon’ble Supreme court and its Hon’ble judges.”
What the AG said while granting sanction for contempt proceedings against Ajeet Bharti
KK Venugopal said, “Whatever may be the motive behind the making of these scurrilous statements, it is obvious that the speaker who is quite educated would have known that the result would be to attract the contempt jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of India, particularly since he makes several references to the contempt power of the Court, clearly inviting the contempt jurisdiction, with all its attendant publicity, being invoked against him. There can be no doubt that the statements in question would lower the authority of the Court in the eyes of the public and obstructs the administration of justice.”
The allegations pertain to a video titled “Ajeet Bharti Roasts Supreme Court, High Courts” posted to the DO Politics channel on the 24th of June. In the video almost 24 minutes in length, Bharti is accused to have made objectionable comments against the Judiciary.