Three academics barred by the Supreme Court from all government projects for drafting a chapter about “corruption in the judiciary” in a now-withdrawn textbook on Monday sought a hearing in the matter, Live Law reported.

In personal affidavits filed in the court explaining the context in which they wrote the chapter, the three academics – Michel Danino, Suparna Diwakar and Alok Prasanna Kumar – also told the court that they are no “fly-by-night academics” and command “street cred”, The Hindu reported.

The bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi was hearing a suo motu case taken up by the court regarding the chapter.

The chapter was part of a Class 8 social science textbook published by the National Council of Educational Research and Training. The educational body on March 10 apologised for the chapter, and said that the entire book has been withdrawn.

The apology came two weeks after the court took suo motu cognisance of the matter and banned the publication and re-printing of the textbook.

An affidavit by NCERT Director Dinesh Prasad Saklani said that Danino, a visiting professor, had supervised the drafting of the chapter, while Diwakar, an educator, and Alok Prasanna Kumar, a legal researcher, were also involved in the process.

On March 11, the court directed the Centre and state governments to ensure that the three academics who were involved in...

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