The SC Closed Adv Prashant Bhushan's 2009 Contempt Case

Bench: Justices Indira Banerjee, Surya Kant, and MM Sundresh 

The Top Court recently closed the 2009 contempt of court case against Adv Prashant Bhushan and Tehelka founder Tarun Tejpal because of the apology/explanation tendered by them to the bench.

The Bench said that "Given the apologies made, we don't find it necessary to continue the matter."

Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Bhushan, said,

Does it make sense to continue with this after an apology has been made? There will be murky waters to navigate.

The Court accepted the same contention.

BACKGROUND

Bhushan had alleged that eight of the last sixteen CJIs were corrupt in an interview he had given to Tehelka magazine in 2009. After a contempt case was filed, Bhushan's father, Senior Counsel Shanti Bhushan, submitted to the Supreme Court a sealed list of corrupt CJIs.

After being initiated in 2009, the case was put on hold in 2012. The case was revived in 2020 by a bench led by Justice Arun Mishra. Unfortunately, Justice Mishra retired before the hearing could take place. The matter then came to be listed today.