AG K K Venugopal refuses consent for initiating contempt action against Swara Bhaskar
New Delhi: Attorney General K K Venugopal has refused his consent for initiating criminal contempt of court proceedings against Bollywood actor Swara Bhaskar for her alleged "derogatory and scandalous" statements against the Supreme Court over the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case verdict.
The consent of either the Attorney General or the Solicitor General is necessary, under section 15 of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, for initiating contempt proceedings against a person.
Lawyer Anuj Saxena had sought consent of the Attorney General for initiating contempt action against the actor.
Venugopal, in a letter to Saxena on August 21, said the actor's statement, which is in two paragraphs, appears to be a factual one and is a perception of the speaker.
"I do not think that this is a case where the offence of scandalising the court or lowering the authority of the court would arise. I, therefore, decline consent to initiate contempt proceedings against Swara Bhaskar," Venugopal said.
Saxena and others have alleged that Bhaskar made these statements at a panel discussion on February 1, 2020 organised by the Mumbai Collective.
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Conolly, Arya fifties carry PBKS to 254/7 against LSG
Mullanpur (PTI): Priyansh Arya and Cooper Connolly were in a punishing mood, making 93 and 87 respectively, to drive Punjab Kings to an imposing 254/7 against Lucknow Super Giants in an IPL match here on Sunday.
Arya and Connolly added 182 runs in just 13.2 overs for a massively entertaining second wicket stand for PBKS, as they tallied this IPL season's highest total, going past RCB's 250 for three.
LSG managed to dismiss the duo and Punjah skipper Shreyas Iyer in quick succession but the home team had already built a superb launching pad by then for Marcus Stoinis (29) to cash in.
Brief scores: Punjab Kings: 254/7 in 20 overs (Cooper Connolly 87, Priyansh Arya 93; Prince Yadav 2/25).
