Advocate attends virtual hearing with beer mug; HC initiates contempt action

AHMEDABAD: Action has been taken against an advocate for sipping beer and talking on the phone while virtually attending a hearing in the Gujarat High Court. Senior lawyer Bhaskar Tanna was seen sipping beer during an online trial. The Gujarat High Court initiated suo motu contempt proceedings against him after the video went viral on social media.

The court also barred Tanna from appearing virtually in further cases. A division bench of Justices A S Supehia and R T Vachhani registered a case against Bhaskar Tanna, citing it as a shameful act.

The court also opined that the lawyer's behavior has crossed the limits. The incident took place before the bench of Justice Sandeep Bhatt on June 25. Footage of Bhaskar sipping beer and talking on the phone during the trial was widely circulated. Justice A S Supehiya said that Bhaskar Thanna's contemptuous behavior was clear from the footage.

Bhaskar Thanna's actions have wide-ranging implications. The court observed that ignoring it will be destructive to the rule of law. The court said that a notice will be issued against Bhaskar's behavior. The matter will be heard after two weeks. The high court registry has been instructed to submit a report before considering the case.