New Delhi: A Delhi court fined and briefly jailed a surgeon already facing trial for murder after he disrupted proceedings by throwing rice near the judge’s dais, prompting fears among lawyers that he was performing black magic.
Incident Halted Proceedings
The accused, Chander Vibhas, was appearing in a 2011 murder case when he threw rice grains in front of the dais, bringing the hearing to an abrupt halt. Lawyers in the courtroom hesitated to present arguments, believing the act to be part of a ritual.
Court staff reported that Vibhas had earlier scattered rice beneath the dais before the session began. On both occasions, advocates refused to proceed until the grains were removed, citing discomfort and superstition.
Additional Sessions Judge Tandon remarked in court, “This is very shocking and surprising… that the present accused… who is stated to be a surgeon by profession and belonging to the educated and elite class, has acted in such an unreasonable manner and created an interruption in the Court proceedings.”
Court Rejects Explanation, Issues Sentence
The court took cognisance under Section 267 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, noting that the proceedings had been halted for 15–20 minutes. Vibhas claimed the rice had “fallen from his hands”, but the court found this explanation “unreasonable”, given he was aware he was attending a hearing.
After an apology and expression of remorse, Vibhas was sentenced on 11 August to imprisonment until the rising of the court and fined Rs 2,000, payable to the State.
The judge’s order noted that the surgeon’s actions had not only interrupted the case but also created an atmosphere of unease among legal practitioners present. The advocates insisted all rice be cleared before they would resume arguments, underscoring the disruption caused by the accused’s behaviour.
