Anushka Sharma –
Published On: December 1, 2021 at 13:30 IST
On Tuesday, the Karnataka High Court issued a notice to a man who appeared semi-naked during a virtual hearing.
On the basis of a complaint filed by Senior Advocate Indira Jaising, the Court ordered the retrieval of the user’s data.
According to Senior Advocate Indira Jaising, the man appeared to be taking a bath while a PIL filed in connection with the alleged CD scandal involving former Karnataka minister Ramesh Jarkiholi was being heard by a Division Bench consisting of Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi and Justice Sachin Shankar Magadum.
The half-naked man appeared on the screen for more than 20 minutes, according to Jaising, who was speaking on behalf of the woman who had filed a Sexual Abuse complaint against Jarkiholi. The individual used the screen identity ‘Sridhar Bhat SDMC Ujire’ to attend the video conference.
“A person is appearing on video conference without a vest, he is visible in this courtroom. Please take judicial notice of this. Let there be some decorum in the court. Milord, I am a woman lawyer…. It is very offensive for a woman to see a man without clothes in a courtroom. Do we have a man without clothes when a woman is arguing in court? What is going on? Milords…It seems he is bathing in front of the court and before me. How is this possible?” Jaising asked the Court.
Jaising said she will transmit the digital proof to the Court so it could take necessary action against the individual, claiming his actions amounted to “Grave Contempt of Court.” Some of the lawyers also called the Court’s attention to the person who departed the video conference after the problem was brought to the Court’s attention. A Court Officer attempted to contact the Offender, but he did not answer and eventually logged out.
At the end of the hearing, Jaising urged the Court to act against the man. She said, “I am exposed to a semi-naked man for 20 minutes. It is done very deliberately and intentionally. It should never happen again, and it is very disturbing and offensive. His conduct amounts to gross contempt of court. I request to take action under the Contempt of Court Act.”