Supreme Court sentences 3 people for making scandalous allegations against judges
New Delhi: The Supreme Court has sentenced three people, held guilty of contempt of court for making "scurrilous and scandalous allegations" against two sitting judges of the apex court, to 3-month jail observing that it was a "concerted effort to virtually hold the judiciary to ransom".
The top court had on April 27 held advocate Vijay Kurle, state president of Maharashtra and Goa of the Indian Bar Association, advocate Nilesh Ojha, President of the Indian Bar Association and Rashid Khan Pathan, national secretary of NGO Human Rights Security Council, guilty of contempt of court for making scandalous allegations against the judges.
A bench of Justices Deepak Gupta and Aniruddha Bose heard on May 4, through video-conferencing, the issue of quantum of sentence in the matter and said "there is not an iota of remorse or any semblance of apology on behalf of the contemnors".
"In view of the scurrilous and scandalous allegations levelled against the judges of this court and no remorse being shown by any of the contemnors we are of the considered view that they cannot be let off leniently," the bench said in its May 4 order, while noting that none of advocates for the three contemnors were willing to argue on the issue of sentence.
"We, therefore, sentence all the three contemnors namely Vijay Kurle, Nilesh Ojha and Rashid Khan Pathan, to undergo simple imprisonment for a period of 3 months each with a fine of Rs 2,000," the apex court said.
The bench directed however that keeping in view the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown conditions, the sentence shall come into force after 16 weeks when the three should surrender before the secretary general of the apex court to undergo the imprisonment.
"Otherwise, warrants for their arrest shall be issued," the bench said.
On March 27, last year, the apex court had sentenced advocate Mathews J Nedumpara to three months in jail for contempt of court and attempting to "browbeat" judges but suspended the sentence after taking note of the unconditional apology tendered by him.
On the same day, the top court had issued contempt notices to Kurle, Pathan and Ojha for "scandalous allegations" levelled against to two of its judges.
In its May 4 order, the top court said: "We have also held in our judgment that the complaints were sent by the contemnors with a view to intimidate the judges who were yet to hear Nedumpara on the question of punishment, so that no action against Nedumpara is taken. Therefore, it is obvious that this is a concerted effort to virtually hold the judiciary to ransom."
The top court rejected an application filed by Ojha, who had sought recusal of one of the judges on the ground that the bench is in "a hurry to decide the matter".
"One of us (Deepak Gupta, J) is to demit office on May 6, 2020 and, therefore, the matter had to be heard and we see no ground for one of us to recuse. The application is accordingly rejected," it said, while also dismissing another application seeking adjournment in the matter.
The bench also dealt with applications filed by the contemnors, who had sought recall of the April 27 judgment on the ground that it was not as per the law laid down by the top court.
"No recall application can lie on these grounds and the proper remedy for the contemnors is to file a review petition, if so advised," the bench said.
In its April 27 verdict, the top court had said that citizens can criticise the judgments but no one has the right to attribute motives or question the bona fide of judges.
It had said that any attempt to browbeat judges have to be dealt with sternly.
The apex court had also said that bona fide and constructive criticism of any institution including the judiciary and judgments pronounced by it is always welcome and cannot amount to contempt of court.
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Accused gunman at correspondents' dinner was believed to be targeting top officials, Blanche says
Washington (AP): The accused gunman who tried to storm the ballroom at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner with guns and knives travelled across the country before the event and is believed to have been targeting members of the Trump administration, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said Sunday.
Blanche also said officials believe the suspect traveled by train from California to Chicago and then on to Washington, where in recent days he checked in as a guest to the hotel where one of Washington's glitziest events was being held Saturday night.
Investigators have not publicly named the suspect, but two law enforcement officials familiar with the matter have identified him to The Associated Press as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen of Torrance, California.
Law enforcement officials who have examined the gunman's electronic devices and his writings preliminarily believe he intended to target administration members in attendance at the dinner. He attempted to charge into the cavernous ballroom at the Washington Hilton but was tackled to the ground in a chaotic scene that resulted in shots being fired, President Donald Trump being hurried off the stage and guests ducking for cover beneath their tables.
“It does appear that he did in fact set out to target folks who work in the administration, likely including the president,” Blanche told NBC's “Meet the Press.”
The suspect is believed to have purchased the firearms he carried within the last couple of years, Blanche said. He is not being cooperative and is expected to face multiple charges on Monday.
Video posted by Trump showed the suspect running past security barricades as Secret Service agents ran toward him. One officer was shot in a bullet-resistant vest but was recovering, officials said. The gunman was taken into custody and was not injured, but was being evaluated at a hospital, police said.
“He failed,” Blanche said on CBS's “Face the Nation.” “Law enforcement did their jobs.”
Social media posts that appear to match the suspect show he is a highly educated tutor and amateur video game developer.
A May 2025 profile photo of Allen appears to match the appearance of the man in a photo of the alleged attacker being taken into custody that was posted Saturday night by Trump. The photo, posted to the social networking site LinkedIn, shows him in a cap and gown after graduating with a master's degree in computer science from California State University, Dominguez Hills.
Allen earned a bachelor's degree in 2017 in mechanical engineering from the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. He listed his involvement there in a Christian student fellowship and a campus group that battled with Nerf guns.
The shooting at the security barricades happened minutes after the event got underway.
The Secret Service and other authorities swarmed the room as guests ducked under tables by the hundreds. Gasps echoed through the ballroom as guests realized something was happening. Hundreds of journalists immediately got on phones to call in information.
“Out of the way, sir!” someone yelled. Others yelled to duck. From one corner, a “God Bless America” chant began as the president was escorted offstage. Outside the hotel, members of the National Guard and other authorities flooded the area as helicopters circled overhead.
After an initial attempt to resume the event, it was scrapped for the night and will be rescheduled.
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