Three days after a woman litigant lifted her purse to throw it at the judge following an adverse order, the Bombay High Court drops contempt action against her, accepting her unconditional apology and her undertaking to pay Rs 1 lakh as costs.
Mumbai: After a woman litigant from suburban Andheri appeared in court and tendered an unconditional apology, the Bombay High Court on Friday, October 30, refused to initiate contempt of court proceedings against her. On October 27, moments after an order was passed directing her family to vacate the suit premises, she had lifted her purse to throw it towards the judge [Contempt plea concerning re-entry into decreed property].
The purse had been raised towards Justice Madhav Jamdar, who accepted the apology and dropped further proceedings.
Forgiveness sought in open court
The woman appeared before the judge on Friday with her family, described her conduct as unwarranted and asked for forgiveness. “Mujhe galti ho gyi… Maaf kar dijiye” (I committed a mistake… please forgive me), she told the Court. She also undertook to pay costs of Rs 1 lakh.
Considering the unconditional apology and the undertaking, Justice Jamdar said he would not initiate contempt proceedings against her. In the underlying contempt plea over re-entry into the decreed property, the Court held that the contempt stood purged after all the respondents expressed regret and tendered unconditional apologies, and dropped further proceedings.
The hearing of October 27
During the hearing of a contempt plea over re-entry into a property covered by a decree, the woman was in the courtroom with her family members. As soon as the order was passed against her family, she picked up her purse and raised it to throw towards the judge, but stopped herself. Justice Jamdar called the High Court police staff and had her removed from the courtroom.
Strong oral remarks on courtroom decorum followed from the judge:
“What kind of conduct was this? Do the litigants think they can do anything they wish to, with the court? Just because some order is passed against you doesn’t mean you will behave in such a manner… you need to maintain the decorum of the court…Let a strong message be sent to the litigants… This court will never pass any order in fear or favour.”
A written apology tendered the same day did not satisfy him, and he indicated that he would impose heavy costs and initiate contempt proceedings.
Restraint after regret
Contempt jurisdiction exists to protect the authority of courts and the administration of justice, not the personal dignity of a judge. Under the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, a court may discharge a contemnor or drop proceedings when a bona fide apology is tendered, and courts have long treated a genuine, unconditional apology as relevant to whether punishment is needed.
Both sides of that power are visible in the episode. On October 27 the Court made clear that intimidating conduct in a courtroom will not be tolerated, and three days later it chose restraint once the litigant accepted her fault in open court and undertook to pay costs.
Case: Contempt plea concerning re-entry into decreed property (Andheri)
Bench: Justice Madhav Jamdar, Bombay High Court
Date of Order: October 30, 2026