Gujarat High Court Initiates Contempt Proceedings Against Lawyer Seen Sipping Beer During Virtual Hearing

Ahmedabad: The Gujarat High Court on Tuesday initiated suo motu contempt proceedings against a Senior Advocate who appeared virtually before the Court on June 26, 2025, while sipping from a beer mug and talking on his phone during ongoing judicial proceedings.

According to a report published in Livelaw.in, the incident occurred before Justice Sandeep Bhatt’s Bench, and a video clip of the advocate’s conduct quickly went viral, drawing widespread condemnation from the legal community. The Court called the conduct “outrageous and glaring,” stating it seriously undermined the dignity and authority of the institution.

Taking up the matter suo motu, a Division Bench comprising Justice AS Supehia and Justice RT Vachhani noted:

“If conduct that dents the glory and dignity of the institution is permitted to go unchecked, it may lead to a collapse of institutional authority.”

The Court emphasized that the Senior Advocate’s actions set a dangerous precedent, especially considering that junior lawyers often view senior counsel as role models.

“This contemptuous demeanour unquestionably defies the privilege of Senior Counsel conferred by the High Court,” the Bench stated.

In a stern warning, the Bench added that the advocate’s designation as a Senior Advocate may be reconsidered, and that appropriate orders would be passed at a later stage. Until then, he has been barred from appearing virtually before the Bench.

The Court has ordered the Registry to preserve the video clip and submit a detailed report, directing that the matter be placed before the appropriate bench and brought to the attention of the Chief Justice.