In a firm stance against misconduct during court proceedings, the Gujarat High Court has imposed a penalty of ₹2 lakh on a man who attended a virtual hearing from a lavatory. Justice MK Thakker, who passed the order on March 5, emphasized that such behavior undermines the dignity of the court.
“In such a scenario, the indecent act is not only unacceptable but is shameful and is required to be strictly condemned. If Courts do not deal with such a person with strong hands, then that may result in lowering the dignity of the institution in the eyes of the public,” the Court stated.
The incident came to light after a viral video surfaced, prompting an inquiry. Investigations revealed that Dhavalbhai Kanubhai Ambalal Patel, son of the respondent in a case, had joined the virtual hearing on February 17 under the name “Kanubhai.” Due to his inappropriate behavior, he was removed from the session. However, he attempted to rejoin, and upon being seen in a lavatory, he was disconnected again.
The Court took serious note of the matter and summoned Patel and his father for a hearing on March 5. Patel’s counsel argued that he mistakenly joined the hearing while navigating the High Court’s website for the first time and apologized for the lapse. However, the Court rejected this defense, noting that Patel, a 42-year-old B.Sc. graduate employed with Reliance Group, could not be unaware of basic virtual hearing etiquette.
Holding him accountable, the Court directed Patel to deposit ₹2 lakh within two weeks. “This Court deems it fit to impose exemplary costs of ₹2,00,000,” the order read, further directing ₹50,000 to be allocated to Shishugruh Paldi, Ahmedabad, and the remaining amount to the Gujarat High Court Legal Aid Services Authorities.
The ruling serves as a stern warning against inappropriate conduct in virtual courtrooms, reinforcing the importance of maintaining decorum in judicial proceedings.
Case: Gujarat State Cooperative Marketing Fed Ltd vs President Officer & Anr – Available on LAWFYI.IO
