New Delhi, August 29: The Supreme Court would announce the quantum of punishment in lawyer-activist Prashant Bhushan's contempt of court case on Monday. The apex judicial body, while pronouncing its verdict in the past week, had convicted Bhushan for his two tweets that were "scandalising" the entire institution of judiciary. Prashant Bhushan Refuses to Apologise in Contempt Case Before Supreme Court, Says 'Apologising Would Amount to Contempt of My Conscience'.

The sentence would be pronounced by the court at 10:30 am on August 31. As per the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, a person convicted under the law could be sentenced to six months of imprisonment or fined upto Rs 2,000, or slapped with both penalties in some cases.

Bhushan was held guilty for his two tweets that targeted Chief Justice of India (CJI) for his picture with a motorcycle, and also took a jibe at the Supreme Court's decision to curtail operations in wake of the COVID-19 lockdown.

Bhushan was also held guilty of contempt for an interview which he gave to Tehelka magazine in 2009. The senior advocate was charge of attributing of motives while criticising the judiciary. This case, however, has been referred to a larger bench by the apex court.

After his conviction by the top court, Bhushan was granted an option of submitting an unconditional apology. The court had also observed that he has laudable track record as an advocate, with several issues pertaining to public interest and alleged corruption being raised by him.

Bhushan, however, refused to oblige claiming that an apology would be a contempt of his "conscience". In his reply, he quoted Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi to justify his criticism of the top court.

" I do not ask for mercy. I do not appeal to magnanimity. I am here, therefore, to cheerfully submit to any penalty that can lawfully be inflicted upon me for what the Court has determined to be an offence, and what appears to me to be the highest duty of a citizen," he had said.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 29, 2020 07:15 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).