‘Court Always Believes In Forgiveness’: Supreme Court Closed Contempt Proceedings Against Lalit Modi Accepting His Apology

On perusal of Modi’s affidavit tendering unconditional apology, a Bench comprising Justice MR Shah and Justice CT Ravikumar decided to forgive him -

“We accept the unconditional apology with broad heart because the Court always believes in forgiveness more particularly when apology is tendered unconditional and from the bottom of the heart...Accepting the apology we close the present proceedings.”

At the outset Senior Advocate, Dr. AM Singhvi apprised the Bench that Modi has filed an affidavit on 17.04.2023 tendering unconditional apology for the social media/Twitter posts. Reading from the affidavit, Dr. Singhvi submitted that in compliance with the earlier order of the Apex Court, Modi has published his apology on Twitter as well as in leading newspapers with wide circulation in all the metropolitan cities.

The Bench noted that in the affidavit Modi has undertaken to not repeat his action in future. He had assured the Court that he would refrain from indulging in any activity which is inconsistent with the majesty or dignity of Hon’ble Courts or Indian judiciary in any manner.

Dr. Singhvi informed the Bench that the objectionable post, pursuant to which the contempt proceeding was instituted, has been deleted from his Twitter account immediately after the same was posted and they are no longer available. In view of the same, he beseeched the Bench to accept the unconditional apology, which he submitted, is genuine and bonafide and Modi has tendered from the bottom of his heart and not to get out of adverse orders in the present contempt proceedings.

The Bench accepted the apology with hope and trust that it is genuine and that Modi has stated on oath that he would not indulge in such activities in future. While accepting his apology, the Bench warned Modi that if he indulges in similar activity in the future the Court would take serious exception to the same. The Bench noted -

“…we accept the unconditional apology. We remind the respondent that any such attempt on his part in future which would tantamount to remotely tarnishing the image of Indian judiciary and courts will be seen very seriously and we desist him from indulging in such activities.”

Senior Advocate, Mr. Ranjit Kumar appearing for the contempt-petitioner submitted that in the apology circulated in newspapers, Modi has not indicated that he would desist from repeating his act in the future. Justice Shah reckoned that the mention of the same in the affidavit is enough.

Modi’s Twitter post dated 18.04.2022, tendering public apology reads as under -

“I hereby tender this unconditional public apology for my social media post, dated 13.01.2023 and my tweet dated 30.03.2023.

I reiterate that I have the highest regard for the Indian Judicial System and the majesty of the Hon'ble Courts, and I will not do anything which is inconsistent with the majesty or dignity of the Hon’ble Courts or the India Judiciary, in any manner.

I reiterate that I do not, and did not, have the remotest intention of denigrating or lowering the Indian Judiciary's image or public estimation which I hold in the highest regard and esteem.”

[Case Title: Chander Uday Singh v. Lalit Kumar Modi Contempt Petition(Crl) No. 1/2023 in CA No. 7632/2022]