HC rejects Nagpur lawyer’s apology in contempt plea

Nagpur: Emphatically rejecting the apology tendered by Nagpur lawyer, advocate Satish Uke to escape his conviction imposed by high court and confirmed by the apex court later, the Nagpur bench of Bombay high court found that the apology was not genuine and not bonafide.

This has demolished the last hopes of Uke to escape two months conviction. He has very little choice, but to again approach the apex court to revive his pending review application against conviction. At the same time, two more suo-motu criminal contempts are pending against him before the Nagpur bench.

Tracing the entire chequered history of contempt proceedings starting from Uke hurling reckless allegations against judiciary, adopting browbeating tactics to dissuade government lawyers and constitutional functionaries, the HC expressed deep anguish over his conduct and found no remorse whatsoever in his apology.

A special division bench consisting of justice Z.A. Haq and justice V.M. Deshpande on Monday after a detailed hearing found no bonafides in the apology tendered by Uke. On the contrary, the highcourt found to its dismay that his subsequent behaviour and tantrums to disrupt and disrespect judicial proceedings continued. Ironically, during the pendency of this apology, Uke tried to browbeat the additional government pleader Ketaki Joshi which led to registration of third suo-motu criminal contempt case against him.

The apology is not unconditional as claimed by Uke, the high court noted and refused to accept such apology while pointing out highlyobjectionable behaviour by the contemner during pendency of proceedings.

On February 28, availing the last chance granted by Supreme Court to tender unconditional apology and withdraw all allegations levelled, Uke, withdrew all scandalous allegations made by him against the judges of the high court. Uke had also moved an application seeking cancellation of bailable warrant issued by the high court on March 22, 2017.