<p class="title">The Supreme Court on Thursday closed contempt proceedings against an 88-year-old professor from Tamil Nadu after he expressed regret over his letter, that cursed senior advocate Rajeev Dhavan to suffer ill-fate for representing Muslim side in the Ayodhya dispute case.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Why are you doing it? You are an 88-year-old man," a five-judge bench presided over by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi asked a counsel, appearing for N Shanmugam.</p>.<p class="bodytext">As counsel expressed regret on behalf of the client, the bench asked senior advocate Kapil Sibal, who appeared for Dhavan, and the petitioner, if the matter should be closed.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Both Sibal and Dhavan did not object to the court's suggestions. They said they merely wanted to bring the issue into the court's notice.</p>.<p class="bodytext">On this, the top court dropped the contempt proceedings.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The apex court had on September 3 issued a notice to Shanmugam on the contempt petition filed by Dhavan.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The court had then dispensed with the personal presence of the alleged contemnor.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Dhavan claimed Shanmugam had sent him the letter on August 14 and threatened him with dire consequences.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"He is intimidating a senior advocate who is appearing for a party/parties before this court and discharging his duties," his petition stated.</p>.<p class="bodytext">In his letter, Shanmugam had allegedly stated, "How a person titled as “Senior Advocate" can mortgage his conscience, sell his soul for a few pieces or silver, (when he can’t take with him when he goes for good) betray his faith, betray Lord Rama and speak on behalf of Muslim for their so-called right to Ayodhya."</p>.<p class="bodytext">He had further gone on to state, "I curse you. Very soon my Lord will give you the punishment."</p>
<p class="title">The Supreme Court on Thursday closed contempt proceedings against an 88-year-old professor from Tamil Nadu after he expressed regret over his letter, that cursed senior advocate Rajeev Dhavan to suffer ill-fate for representing Muslim side in the Ayodhya dispute case.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Why are you doing it? You are an 88-year-old man," a five-judge bench presided over by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi asked a counsel, appearing for N Shanmugam.</p>.<p class="bodytext">As counsel expressed regret on behalf of the client, the bench asked senior advocate Kapil Sibal, who appeared for Dhavan, and the petitioner, if the matter should be closed.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Both Sibal and Dhavan did not object to the court's suggestions. They said they merely wanted to bring the issue into the court's notice.</p>.<p class="bodytext">On this, the top court dropped the contempt proceedings.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The apex court had on September 3 issued a notice to Shanmugam on the contempt petition filed by Dhavan.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The court had then dispensed with the personal presence of the alleged contemnor.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Dhavan claimed Shanmugam had sent him the letter on August 14 and threatened him with dire consequences.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"He is intimidating a senior advocate who is appearing for a party/parties before this court and discharging his duties," his petition stated.</p>.<p class="bodytext">In his letter, Shanmugam had allegedly stated, "How a person titled as “Senior Advocate" can mortgage his conscience, sell his soul for a few pieces or silver, (when he can’t take with him when he goes for good) betray his faith, betray Lord Rama and speak on behalf of Muslim for their so-called right to Ayodhya."</p>.<p class="bodytext">He had further gone on to state, "I curse you. Very soon my Lord will give you the punishment."</p>
