Ex-CJI BR Gavai said he continued court proceedings on instinct and chose not to seek action against the lawyer who attempted to hurl a shoe at him inside the Supreme Court. He stressed that calmness and respect for judicial decorum guided his decision despite the act being termed contempt.
NEW DELHI: Former Chief Justice of India BR Gavai has spoken in detail about the incident where a shoe was allegedly hurled towards him inside the Supreme Court, explaining that his decision to continue with the court hearing was purely instinctive and based on his personal values and upbringing.
Speaking to ANI, Justice Gavai said he did not immediately realise the background or motive behind the disruption.
He stated,
“Maybe it is a result of my upbringing, when something happened in the court, I didn’t even know that it was related to some alleged utterances made by me in the court or alleged observations made by me in the court. But I felt that I must proceed with the matter and that was a decision taken by me in the spur of the moment.”
He made it clear that his priority was to maintain the dignity of the court and ensure that judicial proceedings were not disturbed by sudden emotional or aggressive actions.
The incident took place on October 6 last month during an ongoing hearing, when advocate Rakesh Kishore tried to remove his sports shoes and throw them in the direction of the then Chief Justice.
The situation was immediately brought under control by the security personnel deployed in the courtroom, who swiftly intervened and prevented any harm or disruption to the judicial process.
Despite the chaos, Justice Gavai chose to remain calm and continued with the hearing as if nothing had happened.
He even advised members of the Bar not to lose focus and told them clearly,
“Don’t get distracted.”
During the scuffle, Kishore was heard shouting
“Sanatan ka apman nahi sahenge”
while being escorted out by the security staff.
Later, Justice Gavai showed a forgiving approach and reportedly insisted that no strict action be taken against the accused lawyer.
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However, the Supreme Court observed that the act amounted to a
“clear case of contempt.”
This reflected the court’s firm position that any attempt to disrupt judicial proceedings or intimidate judges is a serious offence under law.
Following the incident, the Bar Council of India stepped in and suspended the licence of Rakesh Kishore. Several bar associations and legal bodies across the country strongly condemned the act, describing it as a direct attack on the independence and authority of the judiciary.
The Delhi Police stated that they did not receive any formal complaint in the matter and therefore released Kishore after completing verification procedures.
Many people later linked his outburst to alleged comments made about Lord Vishnu, which were claimed to have been spoken by Justice Gavai.
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However, the former Chief Justice categorically denied making any such remarks and clarified that the claims circulating on social media were false and misleading.
This incident has once again raised serious concerns about courtroom security, respect for judicial institutions, and the growing influence of misinformation on sensitive legal matters, while also highlighting the composed and dignified response of the former Chief Justice in the face of a provocative situation.
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