In what court officials described as an unusual and disruptive act, a trial court in Tis Hazari, Delhi, imposed a ₹2,000 fine on a surgeon after he deliberately threw rice onto the courtroom floor during an ongoing proceeding.
The incident took place on August 11 when Dr. Chander Vibhas, a medical professional who is also an accused in a murder case, was present before the court. According to the order, Dr. Vibhas was seen intentionally scattering rice in front of the court dais, an action that immediately halted the proceedings.
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The presiding judge, Shefali Barnala Tandon, remarked that the act fell under Section 267 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, which penalises any intentional insult or interruption to a public servant during judicial proceedings. The disruption lasted between 15 and 20 minutes, with lawyers and staff visibly unsettled by the incident.
Lawyers’ Suspicions and Past Incidents
The unusual nature of the act prompted some lawyers to avoid approaching the dais, fearing it might be related to black magic. “The hesitation was visible,” one court staff member said, adding that the atmosphere in the room shifted immediately after the rice was noticed.
The situation was further complicated when court staff informed Judge Tandon that a similar incident had occurred earlier on August 2, when rice was again found on the courtroom floor while Dr. Vibhas was present. This directly contradicted the surgeon’s claim that he had attended the August 2 proceedings virtually via video conferencing. Court records showed he was physically in attendance that day.
Accused’s Explanation and Apology
When asked to explain, Dr. Vibhas initially told the court that some rice in his hands had “simply fallen.” He could not, however, offer any convincing reason for carrying rice into the courtroom or holding it during proceedings.
The court directed him to collect the rice from the floor and called for a sweeper to assist in the cleanup. Proceedings were paused until the floor was cleared, adding to the disruption.
Later, through his lawyer, Dr. Vibhas apologised to the court and assured that the act would not be repeated. His counsel argued that the doctor had been misled by an unidentified person into engaging in the conduct, and urged the court to consider leniency in sentencing.
Judge’s Strong Observations on Judicial Dignity
Despite the apology, the court delivered a firm message on the sanctity of judicial proceedings. “This is very shocking and surprising to the Court that the present accused Dr. Chander Vibhas, who is stated to be a surgeon by profession and belonging to educated and elite class, has acted in such unreasonable manner and created interruption in Court proceedings,” Judge Tandon said in the order.
The judge sentenced Dr. Vibhas to remain in court until its rising for the day and to pay the ₹2,000 fine. She further emphasised that acts of disrespect or disruption send a damaging public message and undermine the authority of the judiciary.
“Disrespect towards the Court or disruption of judicial proceedings… not only disrupted the Court proceedings and undermined the judicial process but also threatens the very foundation of our legal system,” the court noted. Section 267, the judge added, exists to ensure that courts can function without harassment or disturbance, preserving both order and authority.
In her concluding remarks, Judge Tandon warned that allowing such behaviour to go unchecked would erode the court’s ability to function, a risk she described as unacceptable to the rule of law.
