The accused was reportedly upset over recent remarks made by the CJI during a PIL hearing on the restoration of a Lord Vishnu idol at the Khajuraho Temple complex in Madhya Pradesh.
NEW DELHI — In a shocking incident, a 71-year-old advocate allegedly threw a shoe at Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai during a hearing in Courtroom No. 1. The shoe however, did not reach the bench, and the man was immediately taken into custody.
The accused was reportedly upset over recent remarks made by the CJI during a PIL hearing on the restoration of a Lord Vishnu idol at the Khajuraho Temple complex in Madhya Pradesh.
Soon after the incident on Monday, Delhi Police arrested the accused, identified as Rakesh Kishore, who allegedly removed his shoes and hurled them at the CJI around 11:36 a.m.
As he was being escorted out, the advocate was heard shouting, “Sanatan ka apman nahi sahenge” (We will not tolerate the insult of Sanatan Dharma). Chief Justice B.R. Gavai remained composed and urged the lawyers in the courtroom to proceed with their arguments. “Don’t get distracted by all this. We are not distracted. These things do not affect me,” he remarked.
Senior advocate Indira Jaising called for a thorough investigation into the incident. “The lawyer must be named, and legal action taken against him. This appears to be a blatant casteist attack on the Supreme Court of India. It deserves to be condemned by all judges of the Supreme Court by a united press statement that ideological attacks will not be tolerated by the court,” she said in a post on X.
Jaising also praised Chief Justice Gavai’s composure during the episode, noting, “Befitting the court’s dignity, CJI Gavai went about judicial work with no visible disturbance.”
This requires a detailed investigation. The lawyer must be named and legal action taken against him . This appears to be a blatant casteist attack on the Supreme Court of India. It deserves to be condemned by all judges of the Supreme Court by a united press statement that… https://t.co/8sOY5Wip4e
— Indira Jaising (@IJaising) October 6, 2025
Attorney General should take action for contempt of court for an ideological castest attack on a secular court https://t.co/Fk4XrWTGOX
— Indira Jaising (@IJaising) October 6, 2025
As per a Delhi Police official, the accused was picked up by the security personnel and handed over to the security unit of the Supreme Court. “He is a resident of the Mayur Vihar area and a registered member of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA),” the senior police officer said. The police is further investigating the entire case. — With inputs from agencies
