Shoe-hurling incident: AG grants consent for criminal contempt proceedings against advocate

NEW DELHI, Oct 16: The Attorney General on Thursday granted his consent for initiating criminal contempt proceedings against a 71-year-old advocate who recently hurled a shoe towards Chief Justice of India BR Gavai during court proceedings.
Venkataramni gave his consent on a plea submitted by Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) for initiating criminal contempt proceedings against advocate Rakesh Kishore for “reprehensible conduct” on October 6 within the premises of the apex court and his defiant actions thereafter. “Upon careful consideration of the material placed before me, I am satisfied that the conduct of Mr. Rakesh Kishore amounts to criminal contempt of the Supreme Court within the scope of Section 2(c) of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971.
“His acts and utterances are not only scandalous but also calculated to demean the majesty and authority of the Supreme Court. Such behaviour strikes at the very foundation of the justice delivery system and has the clear tendency to lower public confidence in the institution of the judiciary, and more so of the highest Court,” the AG said in his letter to SCBA chief Vikas Singh.
The AG further said no person can have any reason whatsoever to scandalise the court.
“Throwing or attempting to throw any object aimed at the judges, or shouting at judges to find fault with the conduct of proceedings will be scandalous. The reason said to have been given by Rakesh Kishore, can never be in justification of such scandalous conduct,” the country’s top law officer said.
Venkataramani further added that such acts constitute a grave affront to the dignity of the court and to the rule of law itself and from the materials placed on record, he finds that Kishore, has not shown any repentance as regards the conduct in question as is evident from his subsequent utterances.
“Accordingly, I hereby grant my consent under Section 15(1)(b) of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, for the initiation of criminal contempt proceedings against Mr. Rakesh Kishore before the Supreme Court of India,” he said. (PTI)