Supreme Court slams lawyer for misbehaving with Jharkhand HC judge: "We'll see what you can do"
New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): The lawyer who misbehaved and argued with a judge in the Jharkhand High Court has received a severe blow from the Supreme Court. Lawyer Mahesh Tiwari, who approached the apex court hoping for relief against a criminal contempt notice, faced the displeasure of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant. During the hearing, the CJI issued a stern warning, saying, "If he tries to show the court his strength, we will see what he can do."
"I've just come to show you what you've done to me"
CJI Surya Kant questioned the lawyer's motive for coming to the Supreme Court. He rebuked him, saying that it seemed he was seeking an order from the Supreme Court simply to show that no one had harmed him. The CJI bluntly stated that if the lawyer wanted to apologize, he should do so unconditionally. But if his intention was to show off to the judges, he should do so freely; the Supreme Court is present and will take a look. However, the Supreme Court also instructed the High Court to treat the lawyer with sympathy if he apologized.
What happened in the court on October 16?
This entire incident dates back to October 16th of last year, when the Jharkhand High Court was hearing a case involving the disconnection of a widow's electricity connection. The woman owed ₹130,000. During the hearing, Justice Rajesh Kumar objected to lawyer Mahesh Tiwari's argument and asked the State Bar Council President to take cognizance of the matter. This angered lawyer Tiwari.
He pointed his finger at the judge and said, "Don't cross the line"
It is alleged that the lawyer pointed his finger at the judge and declared that he would argue his own way, not according to the judge's instructions. He even told the judge not to overstep his bounds and not to attempt to insult any lawyer. When the judge remarked that he could not accuse the court of injustice, the lawyer challenged the lawyer to check the live recording. For this behavior, a bench headed by the Chief Justice of the Jharkhand High Court issued a notice of criminal contempt against him, which he challenged in the Supreme Court.