The Supreme Court on Wednesday sentenced Booker Prize winner Arundhati Roy to a one-day symbolic imprisonment and a fine of Rs 2,000 after convicting her on charges of contempt of court holding that she had scandalised and lowered the dignity of the apex court.
Shortly after the court pronounced the verdict, Roy was taken to Tihar Jail to serve the symbolic one-day simple imprisonment.
A bench of the apex court comprising Justice G B Pattanaik and Justice R P Sethi said in case of non-payment of the fine of Rs 2,000, she will have to undergo an imprisonment of three months.
Roy was present in the court.
Arundhati Roy is found to have committed criminal contempt of court by scandalising it and lowering its dignity through her statements made in her affidavit, the court said.
The court gave the order after issuing suo motu contempt
notice to Roy taking exception to a few paragraphs in an affidavit filed by her in reply to a petition seeking initiation of contempt proceedings against her for allegedly raising slogans against the apex court during demonstration held outside its gate in December 2000. The demonstration was in protest against the Narmada Dam project.
Roy, while being taken to Tihar Jail, said the judgement proved what she had said in her affidavit before the court in which she had made some critical remarks against the judges.
Soon after the judgement was pronounced, Narmada andolan
activists shouted slogans outside the courtoom saying anyay
nahin nyay chahiye (we want justice not injustice).
Bureau Report
