- Supreme Court reprimanded lawyer Mahesh Tiwari for challenging contempt notice from Jharkhand High Court
- Tiwari had a heated exchange with Justice Rajesh Kumar during a hearing, and told him to "not cross the limit"
- "He just wants order from Supreme Court to show 'kya bigaad liya mera'," the Chief Justice of India said
The Supreme Court on Friday came down heavily on a lawyer who had moved to the top court against a criminal contempt notice issued to him for a verbal spat with a Jharkhand High Court judge during courtroom proceedings last year.
Advocate Mahesh Tiwari was involved in a heated exchange with Justice Rajesh Kumar on October 16, a video of which had gone viral on social media. During the argument, Tiwari told Justice Kumar to "not cross the limit".
The Jharkhand High Court then issued a criminal contempt notice against him, following which he moved to the Supreme Court.
He, however, faced a setback from the top court.
"He just wants an order from the Supreme Court to show 'kya bigaad liya mera' (you could not do anything against me)," Chief Justice of India Surya Kant said, while slamming Tiwari for moving the top court against the high court's contempt proceedings.
"If he wants to apologise, he should apologise... If he wants to show his eyes to judges, then he may go ahead. We are sitting here, and we will also see then," the Chief Justice said.
The Supreme Court also asked the high court to take a sympathetic view if he apologises.
Mahesh Tiwari had a heated exchange with Justice Rajesh Kumar while seeking relief for his client, a widow, whose electricity line was disconnected over Rs 1.30 lakh in dues.
During the hearing, he said that his client was prepared to deposit Rs 25,000 to facilitate the reconnection. However, Justice Kumar cited a judicial precedent requiring a deposit of 50 per cent of the total outstanding amount.
The matter got resolved after Tiwari agreed to have his client deposit a sum of Rs 50,000. The issue, however, got escalated after the conclusion of Tiwari's case.
As the court took up the next matter, Justice Kumar reportedly made observations regarding the manner in which Tiwari presented his arguments.
The court then asked the chairman of the Jharkhand State Bar Council, who was present in the court, and asked him to take cognisance of the advocate's conduct.
Tiwari then stood up, approached the bench, and pointed at the judge, and said, "I can argue in my own way, not in your way in which you say. Please mind that... Don't try to humiliate any advocate, I am telling you."
"You can't say the court is doing injustice," the judge shot back.
"Did I say it?" the lawyer said and asked the judge to check the live video recording, indicating it was another lawyer who used the line of argument that Justice Kumar found contemptuous.
"Please see the recording. I only prayed before your lordship... The country is burning with the judiciary. These are my words. Don't try to humiliate any advocate. You know a lot because you are a judge and we are advocates? I will argue in my own way. Don't cross the limit. Please, don't cross the limit. I have already practiced for the last 40 years," Tiwari said, and walked out.
A five-judge bench led by Jharkhand High Court Chief Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan then issued a contempt notice.
