After AG, Union govt with contempt plea against Bhushan

After Attorney General K K Venugopal, the Union government also on Tuesday filed a contempt petition against advocate Prashant Bhushan.

The government contended by his tweets on appointment of M Nageshwara Rao as interim CBI director, Bhushan had "willfully and deliberately" made a false statement in a case pending in court.

In his petition, Venugopal had contended on Monday that Bhushan by alleging in his tweets on February 1 that the top law officer had misled the court on appointment of Rao as interim CBI director had denigrated his office as well as that of a sitting judge, Justice A K Sikri, who was a part of selection panel.

A bench of Justices Arun Mishra and Navin Sinha has fixed the matter for consideration on February 6.

He said Bhushan had attempted to scandalise the top court and obstructed in administration of justice by his tweets.

In a hearing that took place on February 1 on a PIL filed by NGO 'Common Cause' and RTI activist Anjali Bhardwaj, Venugopal had told the bench of Justices Arun Mishra and Navin Sinha that the high-powered panel headed by Prime Minister had on January 10 authorised the government to appoint a suitable officer as an interim director till the regular chief was appointed in the CBI.

This was well within the knowledge of Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge who participated in the high-powered selection panel as the minutes of the meeting was signed by him as well. Justice Sikri had participated in the selection panel meetings as a nominee of the CJI, he said.