Following an incident where an advocate threw a shoe at Chief Justice of India (CJI) B.R. Gavai during court proceedings, the Punjab Police have filed multiple First Information Reports (FIRs) against individuals accused of posting objectionable and casteist remarks about the CJI on social media.
According to the Punjab Police, several complaints were received from various districts of the state regarding over 100 social media accounts that had shared casteist and hateful content targeting the Chief Justice. The posts allegedly included content intended to provoke violence, erode respect for the constitutional position, intimidate and insult a member of the Scheduled Caste (SC) community, promote enmity and ill-will on caste grounds, and provoke a breach of peace. These actions fall under offenses related to public mischief and intentional insult.
The incident at the Supreme Court occurred on a Monday morning when a man, later identified as 71-year-old lawyer Rakesh Kishore, attempted to throw an object at CJI Gavai during the session. The individual was heard shouting slogans and was swiftly escorted out of the courtroom by security personnel. Witnesses reported that he either tried to throw a shoe or a roll of paper. The disturbance was brief, and Chief Justice Gavai continued with the proceedings, urging the next lawyer to proceed without distraction.
Reports suggest that Rakesh Kishore was reportedly upset over remarks made by CJI Gavai when dismissing a petition concerning the restoration of a dilapidated Lord Vishnu temple in Khajuraho. The Bar Council of India has condemned the incident, emphasizing that such behavior is unacceptable within the legal profession.
The Punjab Police’s swift action in registering FIRs underscores the seriousness with which caste-based hate speech and attempts to undermine judicial authority are being addressed. The legal community and the public await further developments as investigations continue.