The Supreme Court on Friday refused to grant relief to Swami Om’s associate Mukesh Jain from filing cost of Rs five lakh imposed on him over a Public Interest Litigation filed by him, challenging the appointment of Justice Dipak Misra as the Chief Justice of India.
A Divisional Bench of Justice DY Chandrachud and Justice MR Shah said, “He will have to pay, otherwise we will punish him over here.”
The bench informed the Counsel appearing for Jain that they have already dismissed the application and directed the petitioner to appear before the bench on the next date of hearing, as he has been released from the jail.
The bench had earlier reduced the cost from Rs 10 lakh to Rs five lakh on an application filed by Swami Om on the ground of COVID-19. Later in February, 2021, Swami Om died.
Over Justice Chandrachud’s enquiry of reason behind he being in jail, the Counsel responded by saying that Jain has been held up jail for in a matter of circulating WhatsApp messages calling people for Jagannath Yatra.
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“We will pass an order next time that he cannot file PIL before this Court, till he pays the costs. These are professional public interest litigants now,” the court added.
The bench directed the petitioner to appear in person before the Court on the next date of hearing after two weeks.