NEW DELHI: Former CBI interim chief M Nageswara Rao looked pensive throughout Tuesday when the Supreme Court awarded day-long courtroom detention to him for “brazen” contempt of its orders.
Rao, the 1986 batch Odisha cadre IPS officer who became the interim CBI Director twice in recent past, came to the crowded courtroom of the Chief Justice of India (CJI) well before 10.30 AM and was seen engaged in discussions with the lawyers and CBI’s legal advisor S Bhasuram, a co-contemnorin the case.
Rao and Bhasuram, both wearing blue suits, went near the dais after the lawyers asked them to come forward moments after the bench headed by CJI Ranjan Gogoi started hearing the contempt case.
Both the officers had some anxious moments when the bench indicated that it may sent them to jail for 30 days for the “brazen” contempt.
Minutes after they were pronounced guilty, the CJI pronounced the quantum of sentence and said that they will have to sit in the courtroom till the rising of the court.
“Go to one corner of the court and sit down till the rising of this court,” the CJI thundered.
Both the officers, who were followed by curious lawyers and media persons, quickly rushed to the visitors’ gallery in the CJI’s courtroom and remained seated till 4 PM on chairs in a corner.
They did not even leave the courtroom during the lunch recess.
Later in the day, the apex court did not allow plea of Attorney General K K Venugopal at 3:40 pm that the contemnor officers be allowed to leave.
The top court responded angrily to the plea seeking permission for Rao to leave.
“What’s this? Do you want us to sentence him till the rising of the court tomorrow? Go and sit where you were,” the CJI said. (AGENCIES)
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