There should never have been a contempt of court case against Prashant Bhushan, a great defender of our democracy, and his conviction is a travesty. But this Re 1 fine and the joking around it rankles. In 2011 I stood in a Saket court to watch a 19-year old boy's trial. (thread)
He had been picked on charges of stealing a wallet containing Rs 200. For one entire year he remained in Tihar after being granted bail because he did not have the money for a bail bond. His final escape? Conviction. Because the jail term was 3 months.
Accused of stealing a wallet containing Rs 200 (he strenuously denied having done it to me), bail bond set at Rs 10,000. He had nothing. Offence - 3 months, time taken for conviction 1+ year. That one year broke him (and introduced him to drugs).
I was at the Times of India at the time and reported it: timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Boy-spen…
That's how heavy small fines and bail bonds weigh on the poor. So congratulations to the Supreme Court for making a mockery of their actual jobs - delivering justice to the poorest.
