Gujarat HC Chief Justice pulls up cop for sipping cold drink during virtual hearing

Ahmedabad, Feb 15: The Chief Justice of the Gujarat High Court on Tuesday directed a police officer to distribute 100 cans of a cold drink to the bar association, after he spotted the latter sipping the beverage during a virtual hearing.

Chief Justice Aravind Kumar recalled that he had similarly pulled up an advocate for eating a samosa during an online proceeding of the court a few days ago. The Chief Justice had noticed inspector A M Rathod drinking something that looked like a cold drink during an online hearing of a case.

Reprimanding the officer for his behaviour, the Chief Justice directed him to distribute 100 cans of the cold drink to the bar association or face disciplinary action. Chief Justice Kumar further said that he had similarly pulled up an advocate for eating a samosa during a virtual hearing.

"We said that we have no objections to you eating a samosa. But the only ground is, you cannot eat it in front of us, because others are also tempted. Either he should give it to everybody or he should not eat it," the Chief Justice said.

He then directed the government pleader to ask inspector Rathod to distribute 100 cans of the cold drink to the bar association, or else he will direct the chief secretary to initiate disciplinary proceedings against him.

"It was in a lighter vein that the court asked him not to have the cold drink alone, but share it with others as well. The court had similarly asked an advocate to share a samosa he was eating during online proceedings," said a government pleader who was present during the hearing.

The inspector had appeared before the court for the hearing of a petition accusing him and some other officers of beating up two women at a traffic junction, he said. The police commissioner on Tuesday ordered an inquiry into the matter by a DCP-level officer, directing that a report be submitted within 10 days, he added. PTI