'Distribute 100 Coca-Cola cans to Bar': Gujarat HC directs cop for sipping cold drink during VC hearing

New Delhi, Feb 18: A Gujarat Cop on Wednesday was directed by the Gujarat High Court to distribute 100 cans of a cold drink (coca-cola) to the Bar Association or face disciplinary action. You ask why? Let us tell you

According to a Bar and Bench report, during the virtual hearing headed by Justice Ashutosh J Shastri, Inspector A.M. Rathod was was appearing before the Court in a case in which he has been accused of assaulting two women at a traffic junction.

Noticing him sipping a drink during the hearing, CJ asked,"He is drinking Coca-Cola during video conferencing. Who is this police officer?"

Additional Government Pleader (AGP) DM Devnani apologised on behalf of the cop.

"I convey my sincere apologies. I will just ask him to switch off his video," Devnani said.

The CJ, however, refused to let it go.

"The can shows it is Coca-Cola, we don't know the contents of it. Is he an IPS officer? Is this the way an officer acts; if he would have been in physical court, would he have come with a 'Coca-Cola' can," the CJ asked.

After that CJ went ahead and said, "He should distribute 100 Cans of 'Coca-Cola' to everybody in the Bar Association, otherwise we will ask the Chief Secretary to initiate disciplinary proceedings against him. We will not leave him until he complies with this. It should reach by today evening."

As per Bar and Bench after the CJ directed Cop his punishment, senior advocate Bhaskar Tanna weighed in and said, "Should (it) be something less harmful than Coca-Cola, maybe lime juice?"

To which the CJ replied with, "Amul Juice. Ask him to arrange Amul Juice."

This isn't the first time that something like this happened in a Court. In a Bar and Bench report it was revealed by CJ Kumar that, "One advocate once appeared before us was eating samosa. We said we don't have any objection to him eating samosa but the only issue was that he cannot eat samosa in front of us and everyone since others are also tempted. Either he should give it to everybody or he shouldn't eat."