Delhi High Court discharges filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri for offensive tweet after an unconditional apology!

In a criminal contempt case brought by the Delhi High Court on Monday, director Vivek Agnihotri was exonerated after he submitted an apology and showed regret for allegedly retweeting a post accusing former HC judge Justice S Muralidhar of bias.

In October 2018, a division bench led by Justice S Muralidhar, who was a Delhi high court judge then, freed activist Gautam Navlakha, who was arrested in the Bhima Koregaon case, from house arrest. On October 5, 2018, Agnihotri had reposted the tweet alleging bias by Justice Muralidhar, who is the current Chief Justice of the Orissa High Court.

A division bench made up of Justices Siddharth Mridul and Vikas Mahajan considered Agnihotri's unconditional apology on Monday while he was present in court. “Mr Vivek Agnihotri the alleged contemnor who is arrayed as Respondent No. 4 is present before the court in person and reiterates his remorse as well as tenders an unconditional apology for the alleged offensive statement made by him on Twitter,” the bench noted. 

Reading his affidavit tendering the apology, the HC said, “In view of the foregoing and particular circumstance that Mr Vivek Agnihotri has the utmost respect for the institution of the judiciary and did not intend to wilfully offend the majesty of the court, the notice to show cause as to why contempt should not be issued to him is recalled. Mr Vivek Agnihotri is discharged”.