New Delhi, 9 December (H.S.): Advocate Rakesh Kishore, accused of hurling a shoe at Chief Justice of India (CJI) B.R. Gavai, faced angry protests from fellow lawyers when he appeared at Karkardooma Court on Tuesday.

Several advocates reportedly attempted to assault him, forcing security personnel to intervene. Video footage from the court premises showed Kishore shielding himself as a group of lawyers surrounded him.The incident follows the October 6 episode when Kishore, a practising lawyer, allegedly threw a shoe toward Chief Justice Gavai inside the Supreme Court courtroom. The shoe, however, did not reach the CJI.

As he attempted to throw it, a Delhi Police constable present in the courtroom swiftly subdued him. While being escorted out, Kishore shouted, “Sanatan Dharma ka apmaan, nahi sahega Hindustan” (“India will not tolerate the insult of Sanatan Dharma”).

According to reports, Kishore was angered by a remark made by the CJI in an earlier proceeding that he believed disrespected Lord Vishnu. Following the incident, several bar associations condemned his actions, and protest demonstrations were held outside the Supreme Court calling for disciplinary measures against him.

On October 16, Attorney General R. Venkataramani granted consent to initiate contempt of court proceedings against Kishore, acting on a petition filed by Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) president Vikas Singh. Singh asserted that the act of throwing a shoe at the Chief Justice could not be ignored, emphasizing that Kishore showed no remorse for his conduct.

However, the Supreme Court later refused to issue a contempt notice against the lawyer. The bench observed that pursuing contempt proceedings would “give unnecessary importance” to the matter and expressed hope that the controversy would subside on its own.

Despite that, today’s courtroom protest suggests that anger among the legal community continues to simmer over Kishore’s conduct during the October incident.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar