SC Issues Show Cause Notice To Artist Rachita Taneja, Comedian Kunal Kamra In Contempt Cases

The Supreme Court on Friday issued show-cause notices to stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra and artist Rachita Taneja on pleas seeking court action against them for tweets against the Apex Court. Kamra and Taneja have been served  show-cause notices for their alleged criticism of the top court in tweets and illustrations respectively. According to the petitioner, both of them had posted several tweets "scandalising the judiciary" and judges, Live Law reported.

SC seeks replies on show-cause notices to comedian Kunal Kamra, comic artist Rachita Taneja in 6 weeks for alleged contemptuous tweets

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 18, 2020

“All these tweets are scandalous and we had sought consent from the attorney general,” PTI quoted advocate Nishant R Katneshwarkar, who appeared for one of the petitioners, as saying in court.

The plea for criminal contempt proceedings has been initiated by Aditya Kashyap, a fifth-year law student. According to the reports, Taneja, a comic illustrator, faces the charges over her caricatures published on her art page Sanitary Panels. A cartoon uploaded on her Twitter handle allegedly depicted the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP), the Apex Court, and a reporter along with a caption that read the text “Tu Janta Nahi Mera Baap Kaun Hai”.

Read about Rachita Taneja here

"The three alleged posts in the form of cartoons/ caricatures have shaken the public trust and confidence in the judicial system of our constitutional democracy by directly attacking and making insinuations against the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India," the plea filed by Kashyap claimed.

SC issues notices to stand-up comedian #KunalKamra and comic artist #RachitaTaneja on separate petitions seeking initiation of criminal contempt proceedings against them for scandalising the judiciary. They have been asked to respond in six weeks. @satyastp_satya

— The Tribune (@thetribunechd) December 18, 2020

The plea includes another tweet that read “Arnab gets bail, real journalists get jail, an independent judiciary is failing.” The tweet by cartoonist Taneja had come after the SC had granted interim bail to journalist Arnab Goswami.

On the other hand, on November 11, Kamra posted a series of tweets allegedly  “mocking” the top court, Chief Justice of India (CJI) SA Bobde and Justice DY Chandrachud. SC has issued show-cause notices and asked them to reply within six weeks for their criticism of the top court. The court has also said that they don't need to appear in person before the court.

Also Read: Noah Cyrus Apologises For Using Racist Slur To Defend Harry Styles’ Vogue Cover

Feature Image Credit: Rachita Taneja/Twitter

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