The Supreme Court today dropped contempt proceedings against former Army Chief V K Singh after he unconditionally apologised and withdrew entire statements made by him towards judiciary relating to the verdict on his age row.
A visibly upset 63-year-old Singh was consoled after the proceeding by his counsel Ram Jethmalani, who on his behalf stated that the former army chief was withdrawing entire statement made by him concerning the judiciary and all other statements attributed to court in earlier interviews on the apex court's February 10, 2012 decision on his age row.
A bench comprising justices RM Lodha and HL Gokhale noted that Singh, who was present in the courtroom, "tendered the apology at the earliest opportunity without contesting it on merits". "We accept the unqualified apology tendered by him and the contempt proceedings are accordingly dropped," the bench said and observed that "repentence is a tool which condons all sort of misdemeanour and if the apology is coming from heart and that too from a senior advocate like Jethmalani, it (contempt proceedings) should not continue even for a second".
The apex court had on October 1 issued notice to Singh after taking suo motu cognisance of his remarks against its order on his age row published on September 22, saying it prima facie amounts to "scandalising" and undermining the authority of the court.
Jethmalani said Singh was withdrawing the entire statement made by him on September 21 in English and Hindi concerning the judiciary to a news agency which was published a day after in a newspaper and all other statements attributed to court in earlier interviews relating to February 10, 2012 decision on age row.
Singh, who served the army for 42 years, had tendered an "unqualified apology" on November 18 to the Supreme Court for making certain remarks on its order on his age row, saying he had no intention to bring disrepute to the institution and judges, who are like "Demigods".
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