Justice Katju tenders apology to SC for questioning Soumya rape case verdict

New Delhi: Former Supreme Court judge Markandey Katju on Friday tendered unconditional apology for contemptuous remarks in his blog on the Soumya rape case. He offered the apology to the apex court which was accepted by it and the contempt proceedings against him were closed.

Justice Katju had sparked controversy after he stated that the Supreme Court had 'grievously erred by law' in the Soumya case, in which the death sentence of the accused Govindachamy was commuted.

Katju was earlier invited by the Supreme Court to explain why the judgement requires review. In November the top court issued him a notice of contempt for "scandalising" judiciary as he appeared before a bench and had heated exchanges with it.

But with Katju now offering an apology for his conduct, the contempt proceedings will be stopped against him. The order was passed by a bench comprising Justices Ranjan Gogoi and U U Lalit which accepted the apology and decided to close the contempt proceedings against the former judge.

"In view of the apology tendered, which has been verified, we close the instant contempt proceedings," it said.

Senior advocate Rajeev Dhawan, appearing for Justice Katju, read from the reply tendering the apology. Justice Katju was earlier granted exemption from personal appearance.