The Supreme Court on Monday refused to initiate criminal contempt proceeding against 71-year-old lawyer Rakesh Kishore in connection with the shoe-hurling incident. The apex court stated that prosecuting the septuagenarian would only give him undue attention and further accelerate the glorification of the incident.
The highest court also gave nod to consider issuing guidelines curbing the publication and glorification of such incidents on social media.
Kishore attempted to hurl a shoe at Chief Justice B R Gavai on October 6, stating that he was triggered by the remarks of the CJI on a plea to restore Lord Vishnu idol.
Earlier on October 16, the court entertained a plea urging for a John Doe order to restrict individuals from spreading false narratives against those around the unfortunate incident.
While cautioning against the ‘ill effects’ of unregulated social media, it observed that “a social media user is both a product and a consumer of the platform”.
On October 9, CJI Gavai had stated that he did not wish to pursue the matter further and had “forgotten about it.” Few days later, he reiterated that ‘let the matter die a natural death’.
While hearing an unrelated case on October 9 alongside Justices Ujjal Bhuyan and K Vinod Chandran, the CJI had said both he and his colleague were “very shocked” by the episode but considered it “a forgotten chapter.”
Justice Bhuyan, however, took a different view, saying that the incident should not be dismissed in a lighter vein as it translated into “an affront to the institution of the judiciary with the CJI at the helm,” adding that “the institution of the CJI is not a joke.”
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and leaders across political parties had condemned the October 6 incident.
Advocate Kishore has so far shown no regret, alleging instead that a “divine voice” asked him to act after the CJI rejected his petition seeking restoration of a Lord Vishnu idol at Khajuraho.