Shoe-throwing bid at CJI: AG nods for contempt plea; curb on social media posts sought

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India, October 16, 2025 (Thursday)

Shoe-throwing bid at CJI: AG gives nod for contempt plea; curb on social media posts sought | India News – The Times of IndiaEditionININUSEnglishEnglishहिन्दीमराठीಕನ್ನಡதமிழ்বাংলাമലയാളംతెలుగుગુજરાતીWeatherSign InTOIindiaBihar Election 2025MaharashtraKarnatakaTelanganaWest BengalTamil NaduAndhra PradeshUttar PradeshGujaratRajasthanPunjabOdishaMadhya PradeshHaryanaTripuraUttarakhandBiharKeralaAssamArunachal PradeshManipurChhattisgarhJammu KashmirNagalandJharkhandMeghalayaHimachal PradeshWeb StoriesDigital ArrestOperation SindoorCancel PatriarchyToday's ePaperNewsIndia

NewsShoe-throwing bid at CJI: AG gives nod for contempt plea; curb on social media posts soughtTrendingGold Price PredictionMLB Trade RumorVarun ChakaravarthyBihar PollsUPPSC APO ApplicationEknath ShindeTata Motors DemergerPF WithdrawalGold Price PredictionMLB Trade RumorVarun ChakaravarthyBihar PollsUPPSC APO ApplicationEknath ShindeTata Motors DemergerPF WithdrawalGold

Price PredictionMLB Trade RumorVarun ChakaravarthyBihar PollsUPPSC APO ApplicationEknath ShindeTata Motors DemergerPF WithdrawalShoe-throwing bid at CJI: AG gives nod for contempt plea; curb on social media posts soughtTOI News Desk / TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Updated: Oct 16, 2025, 12:13 ISTShareAA+Text SizeSmallMediumLargeContempt proceedings

are set to begin against lawyer Rakesh Kishore. This follows his shoe-throwing attempt at Chief Justice BR Gavai. The Supreme Court Bar Association sought to curb social media’s coverage of the incident. Justices expressed concern over the court’s time being

diverted. They noted that action might further fuel the controversy. CJI BR Gavai and Rakesh Kishore NEW DELHI: Attorney General R Venkataramani has granted consent for the initiation of contempt proceedings against lawyer Rakesh Kishore, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed

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the Supreme Court on Thursday.Tushar Mehta and the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) also sought the top court's order to restrain social media from airing content on the shoe-throwing incident, saying it is "demeaning the institution".'No Remorse, God Provoked Me':

Lawyer Rakesh Kishore Defends His Shoe Attack On CJI BR GavaiSCBA president Vikas Singh further urged the Supreme Court to hear a contempt case against lawyer Rakesh Kishore, saying "social media has gone berserk".The bench comprising Justice Surya Kant and

Justice Joymalya Bagchi however asked whether the issue should be raked up further, pointing out that the CJI himself has let off the incident. Therefore, "Hon'ble CJI has been extremely magnanimous…that shows the institution is not affected by these kind

of incidents," Justice Kant was quoted as saying by Live Law.“But the way it is going on and on and the manner in which social media is giving traction to it is causing some damage to the institution,” Singh reported.

The SG called it a “gesture of majesty” by the Chief Justice not to take any action against the lawyer, but added that the way some people were “using social media to justify the incident” was troubling. “It is a

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matter of institutional integrity,” he reported.Justice Soumen Sen Bagchi also voiced concern over the court’s time being drawn away from more pressing matters. “So many of you stand for hours to get matters heard and decided. See we have already

spent five minutes on this. Perhaps we could have at least decided three issues, perhaps of persons who are in jail, where individuals are seeking to get reinstated or even the State is before us to assert some public cause,”

he observed.Justice Sanjay Kumar Kant noted that taking action at this point would only fuel the controversy. Therefore, “What my brother is pointing out is, the moment you take any action now, it will become episode No.2 for them. And

for another one week, the entire incident will be revived.” Justice Bagchi remarked that for many social media accounts, the episode had become a “money-spinning venture.”Vikas Singh, however, pointed out that the lawyer concerned had not expressed any regret and

continued to make statements glorifying his act. Justice Bagchi reported the matter itself was giving more opportunity for social media accounts to monetise the incident.“The algorithms are so programmed so as to appeal to the baser instincts of individuals. When

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these sort of comments are made, and the number of hits are more, the algorithm is to promote such content. In these situations, Mr. Singh, we assure you, that even your mentioning is going to be monetised. Meanwhile, Allow it

to have a natural death,” Justice Bagchi reported as per Live Law.What happened in SC?Kishore tried to attack CJI Gavai inside an SC courtroom, but alert security personnel restrained him the moment he removed his sports shoes in a bid

to hurl them at the CJI.Gavai remained calm and composed and went ahead with court proceedings. "Don't get distracted," the CJI told lawyers.Kishore also shouted, "Sanatan ka apman nahi sahenge," while being dragged away by security staff. Later, the Bar

Council of India suspended his licence.Delhi Police reported no complaint was received, and Kishore was released after verification.In his first reaction after trying to hurl a shoe towards Chief Justice of India (CJI) BR Gavai, suspended advocate Rakesh Kishore reported

he "didn't regret" his actions and that his motive was guided by what CJI had reported while dismissing the plea, which sought reconstruction of Lord Vishnu idol in Madhya Pradesh's Khajuraho.What was the case?Terming it a "publicity interest litigation", the

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Supreme Court last month dismissed a plea seeking directions to reconstruct and reinstall a seven-foot idol of Lord Vishnu at the Javari Temple, part of the UNESCO World Heritage Khajuraho temple complex in MP.A bench headed by Chief Justice B

R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran refused to entertain the plea filed by one Rakesh Dalal, who sought the replacement and consecration of the damaged idol at the Javari Temple in Chhatarpur district."This is purely publicity interest litigation… Go

and ask the deity himself to do something. If you are saying you are a strong devotee of Lord Vishnu, then you pray and do some meditation," the CJI reported.The petitioner's counsel reported the idol's head was dilapidated & urged

SC to intervene to allow its reconstruction.SC reported the issue squarely fell under Archaeological Survey of India's jurisdiction. "It's an archaeological find, whether ASI would permit such a thing to be done or not… Meanwhile, there are various issues," CJI

reported.The CJI added, "In the meantime, if you are not averse to Shaivism, you can go and worship there… there is a very big linga of Shiva, one of the biggest in Khajuraho."Gavai later clarified that he never made the

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