Bhushan differs with senior lawyer engaged by him on tendering unconditional apology

Contempt proceedings in the Supreme Court against activist lawyer Prashant Bhushan Thursday saw him take a view different from the senior advocate he engaged on the recusal of a judge from the bench.

Senior advocate Dushyant Dave, appearing for Bhushan, expressed the inclination on behalf of his client to withdraw an application seeking recusal of Justice Arun Mishra from hearing the contempt plea filed by Attorney General K K Venugopal against the activist lawyer.

When the bench said the application be withdrawn with an unconditional apology, Dave said he will tender the same on behalf of Bhushan.

However, when the bench, also comprising Justice Navin Sinha, sought Bhushan's own view, he said he was not inclined to tender an unconditional apology as the application filed by him was bona fide.

Such a situation arose at the fag end of the hearing when the judges were dictating the order.

Justice Mishra asked Dave, "What about your recusal application?"