<p>A bench headed by Chief Justice S H Kapadia imposed a fine of Rs one lakh on the NGO, Kalyaneshwari, and punished its secretary D K Sharma by directing him to remain present in the court room till the rising of the bench.<br /><br />The bench, also comprising justices K S Radhakrishnan and Swatanter Kumar said that after the bench rose, contemnor Sharma will have to remain present in the Supreme Court Registrar's office till the day's work is over.<br /><br />The apex court had initiated suo motu contempt proceedings against the NGO for abusing the PIL mechanism on behalf of the steel lobby to seek a ban on asbestos in the country on the plea that it posed a serious health hazard.<br /><br />Earlier, the NGO after being issued contempt notice, had offered to make an unconditional apology for filing the PIL.<br /><br />The court, however, refused to allow the NGO to wriggle out with an apology for fighting a "proxy business battle" through the PIL.<br /><br />"You may file your apology in an affidavit. We may not accept your apology but impose a heavy cost on you," the bench had said.<br /><br />The bench had on January 21 dismissed the Kolkata- based NGO's plea for a ban on asbestos material and initiated contempt proceedings against it.<br /><br />The NGO invited the court's ire as it came to light that the organisation's office bearers had heavy stakes in steel industry and wanted a ban on asbestos to ensure promotion of its own material as a substitute.</p>
<p>A bench headed by Chief Justice S H Kapadia imposed a fine of Rs one lakh on the NGO, Kalyaneshwari, and punished its secretary D K Sharma by directing him to remain present in the court room till the rising of the bench.<br /><br />The bench, also comprising justices K S Radhakrishnan and Swatanter Kumar said that after the bench rose, contemnor Sharma will have to remain present in the Supreme Court Registrar's office till the day's work is over.<br /><br />The apex court had initiated suo motu contempt proceedings against the NGO for abusing the PIL mechanism on behalf of the steel lobby to seek a ban on asbestos in the country on the plea that it posed a serious health hazard.<br /><br />Earlier, the NGO after being issued contempt notice, had offered to make an unconditional apology for filing the PIL.<br /><br />The court, however, refused to allow the NGO to wriggle out with an apology for fighting a "proxy business battle" through the PIL.<br /><br />"You may file your apology in an affidavit. We may not accept your apology but impose a heavy cost on you," the bench had said.<br /><br />The bench had on January 21 dismissed the Kolkata- based NGO's plea for a ban on asbestos material and initiated contempt proceedings against it.<br /><br />The NGO invited the court's ire as it came to light that the organisation's office bearers had heavy stakes in steel industry and wanted a ban on asbestos to ensure promotion of its own material as a substitute.</p>