Seven months after four women members of a controversial Mumbai-based music school hurled a slipper at a Supreme Court judge during a hearing,all of them were on Wednesday sentenced to three months of imprisonment for contempt in the face of the apex court besides a fine of Rs 1 lakh each. The three-judge Bench comprising Justices Altamas Kabir,G S Singhvi and H L Dattu,while awarding the sentence to Sarita Parikh,Annette Kotian,Pavitra Murali and Leila David of Boss Music School,ordered they should be arrested immediately. Observing that no leniency can be shown to them,particularly when a liberal attitude was maintained by other Benches of this court in hearing their matter,the Bench said,Throwing footwear on the judges amounts to scandalising the institution of the Supreme Court. While Parikh and Kotian,who were present in the courtroom,were taken into custody,the apex court asked the Police Commissioners of Delhi and Mumbai to take steps to apprehend the other two women. It also imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on each of them for filing frivolous petitions making wild allegations against the Constitutional office of the President,Prime Minister and judiciary. It was on March 20 when one of them hurled a slipper at Justice Arijit Pasayat (since retired) in the courtroom during the hearing of their case. Justice Pasayat,who was heading the Bench along with Justice A K Ganguly,had then ordered three months imprisonment for the four women. However,a difference of opinion emerged between the two as Justice Ganguly opined that the accused cannot be held guilty by summary proceedings and they should be given a chance to defend themselves. The matter was referred to the Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan,who then set up a three-member Bench to decide on the issue. Upholding Justice Pasayats order of convicting the women through summary proceedings for contempt of court,the Bench on Wednesday observed,In such circumstances,we are also not inclined to interfere with the sentence imposed on the contemnor by Justice Pasayat. The apex court had on November 4,2008 ordered an inquiry into the affairs of the School whose members were facing contempt proceedings for making insinuations against the Chief Justice of India and judges of the Bombay High Court. The police have registered several cases against the school members earlier,some of whom have been accused of being involved in prostitution and black magic.
