The Supreme Court on Thursday suspended the prison sentence of YouTuber Gulshan Pahuja who was handed down six months's imprisonment by the Delhi High Court for committing contempt of court.
A bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Sheel Nagu issued notice to the Delhi High Court on Pahuja's appeal against the High Court verdict, and directed that he be released from jail.
This was after Pahuja's counsel pointed out that his client has already undergone 48 days imprisonment.
"Notice on appeal and application for interim relief. Sentence suspended. Order Dasti. Petitioner shall be released," the Court ordered.
Pahuja's counsel submitted that Pahuja has only been raising his voice against the ills plaguing the judicial system.
"Pahuja raised his voice against the judicial system. Each and everyone knows what is going on," the counsel said.
"What do you want now? You have already been granted suspension of sentence," the Court replied.
"Grateful your lordships," the counsel said.
In May this year, the Delhi High Court sentenced Pahuja to six months of imprisonment and a ₹2,000 fine for committing criminal contempt of court by making scandalous comments about the judiciary in his videos and in arguments before the Court.
The High Court noted that he had drawn comparisons between the judiciary and a dictatorship by stating in his arguments that he expects no justice from the Indian judicial system and alleging that ‘adaalaton ki manmarzi badhti jaa rahi hai aur main koi nyay ki umeed nahi kar raha’ (translation: the arbitrary actions of the courts are increasing and I am not expecting any justice) and ‘manmarzi ka dusra arth taanashahi hota hai’ (translation: the synonym for arbitrariness is dictatorship).
Pahuja later filed a plea seeking an extension of time to surrender to serve out the six-month jail sentence. After the Delhi High Court rejected his request, he moved the Supreme Court seeking some more time to surrender.
However, while this plea was pending, Pahuja surrendered.
His appeal came up for hearing today even as he was serving his sentence.
The top court then proceeded to grant him interim relief today.
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