Supreme Court asks Thackeray to pay up fines

The Supreme Court on Friday directed Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray to pay the fine of Rs 4,000 awarded against him by the Bombay high court for the contempt of the court.

The direction was issued by Chief Justice A M Ahmadi and Justice Sujata V Manohar while fixing February 19 for hearing of the special leave petition by Thackeray. The Shiv Sena chief has challenged the judgement of the Bombay high court sentencing him to two periods of simple imprisonment and a fine of Rs 2,000 each on two counts.

The chief justice said ''normally we ask the accused in such cases to surrender" and inquired if Thackeray has paid the fine.

When counsel submitted that the fine could also be paid on February 19, the chief justice said the high court has merely suspended the sentences for two weeks and not the fine. If the fine was not paid, it would be difficult, he added.

The high court, by its impugned judgement on February 7, convicted the Shiv Sena chief for contempt of the court and sentenced him for two separate periods -- one for seven days simple imprisonment with a fine of Rs 2,000, and the other for two days' simple imprisonment and a fine of Rs 2,000 -- both of which were to run concurrently.

The high court suspended these sentences for two weeks to enable Thackeray to approach the Supreme Court in appeal.

The Shiv Sena supremo was alleged to have cast doubts on the integrity of a Bombay high court judge at a public meeting organised by the Sena at Shivaji Park in Bombay on October 21 last year.

Consequently, on a petition seeking initiation of contempt proceedings against Thackeray, the high court found him guilty.

UNI