Supreme Court gives blacklisted Suraz India Trust three days to tender unconditional apology

The Supreme Court today gave blacklisted petitioner Suraz India Trust three days to file an unconditional apology for filing frivolous litigation and making scandalous averments against the judiciary (Suraz India Trust v. Union of India)..The Bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and MM Sundresh was hearing an application filed by the Trust seeking a recall of the Court's 2017 judgment by which it had imposed costs of ₹25 lakh on the NGO..Appearing before the Bench today, the NGO's Chairman Rajiv Daiya stated that he did not have the resources to pay the costs and that he has preferred a mercy plea before the President of India.In response, the Court said,"There is no provision for mercy plea before the President in recovery of cost matters...You cannot browbeat orders like this. If it means we have to send you behind bars, we will do so.".When Daiya offered to tender an unconditional apology, the Court said,"You have deprived yourself of the sympathetic view by the kind of applications filed and allegations made. It is time for some punitive action."."You have only scandalized the Court in submissions. You feel you can get away with everything, and we have to dispel this notion that you can get away with anything," Justice Kaul added.Even as Daiya pleaded for a chance, the Court said that it would not adjourn the matter and would take it to the logical conclusion.."Our job was to recover costs, and if that was not possible, his assets could be looked into. Or else send him to jail. But instead of this, he kept on making allegations. Unless someone says he needs to be mentally tested, his pleadings show he has vast knowledge of law," the Court further opined..The Bench ultimately reserved its order on the matter and directed the Trust to tender an unconditional apology on affidavit within three days..In May 2017, the Supreme Court had imposed costs of ₹25 lakh on Suraz India Trust for filing frivolous petitions. The NGO was also barred from “urging a cause in public interest” across any court in India..The Trust had filed 64 public interest litigation (PIL) pleas, all of which were dismissed. It was also accused of repeatedly making insinuations against the judiciary..In 2019, the Delhi High Court refused to entertain a writ petition filed by the Trust, noting that it had earlier cast “serious aspersions” against three judges of the Rajasthan High Court and its Chief Justice. It had also expressed its ire against three judges of the Supreme Court, and the Chief Justice of India..[Read Order]