‘To err is human, to forgive is divine’: HC lets off sacked DSP’s aide after apology

Chandigarh: The Punjab and Haryana high court has ordered the release of Pardeep Sharma, who was awarded six months of imprisonment along with dismissed Punjab Police DSP Balwinder Singh Sekhon for uploading videos scandalous to the judges of the high court on social media, after accepting an apology from him.
“As per the custody certificate dated May 28, he has undergone 3 months and nine days punishment out of the 6-month sentence, we are of the considered opinion that as per the saying of Joseph Addison, ‘there is no virtue as truly great and godlike as justice’ and the saying that ‘to err is human and to forgive is divine’, we accept the apology which has now been tendered, subject to certain conditions,” the court observed while releasing him.

The copy of the order, released on Tuesday, clarified that Sharma will give an undertaking before the chief judicial magistrate (CJM), Chandigarh, saying that he will not indulge in any other similar activity whereby posting any adverse comments against the judicial institutions, the judges, and the officers of the court
In case of violation of the said undertaking, he will be required to undergo the balance amount of sentence, which has already been imposed upon him. Apart from this, it will also give a fresh cause of action for initiation of criminal contempt against him, the order stated.
The high court also asked all of Sharma’s family members to give similar undertakings: that they will not comment upon the judicial institution or its officers in any manner and ensure that the applicant also does not do so. “The sentence of the applicant shall remain suspended till further orders, with the condition that if there is any intimation to this court by virtue of any mode that the applicant and his family members have violated the undertaking, the applicant will be required to undergo the balance amount of sentence,” read the detailed order.
The division bench comprising Justice G S Sandhawalia and Justice Harpreet Kaur Jeewan passed the orders while accepting the apology tendered by Sharma through his family.
In an affidavit filed through his son Chandan Deep Sharma and other family members, Sharma had expressed regret for his conduct and submitted he had highest regard for the judiciary and the rule of law, and it was never his intention to wilfully disregard the court. It was averred that the deponent was in deep regret for his actions, and was sincerely and unconditionally apologetic for the same. He prayed for one final opportunity to enable him to take reformative steps. “That the deponent with a sincere regret for the inconvenience caused by the action of the deponent to this court, tenders his unconditional apology from the bottom of his heart and undertakes to never write, speak, share, circulate and/or publish, anything which undermines the authority and sanctity of this court,” mentioned the affidavit submitted by Sharma.
Sharma has been lodged in Burail jail in Chandigarh along with Sekhon since their conviction on February 24.