Gauhati HC Convicts Lawyer For Referring Female Judge As ‘Bhasmasur’

GUWAHATI: A lawyer was found guilty of contempt of the court by the Gauhati High Court for his remarks on a judge's jewellery and for insulting her by likening her to the "mythical character" of a demon named Bhasmasur.

Attorney Utpal Goswami was granted bail on March 9 in the suo motu case by Justices Kalyan Rai Surana and Devashis Baruah on a personal bond of Rs 10,000. The court will hold the final hearing on March 20.

The decree states that he has expressly admitted that he had realized that maintaining peace, order, harmony, and tranquillity in human society should assist in defending and preserving respect for judges and magistrates in any court.

Also, the judgment states, "He has accepted that he committed the crime owing to a lack of understanding of the law and its application. As this is his first offence, he submitted his unreserved repentance and told the court that he would never repeat this type of crime in the future.”

"It is noted that by filing a petition under section 24 CPC in relation to TA No.6/2018, which was pending before the Court of learned Additional District Judge, Jorhat, the petitioner has made scathing allegations that the presiding officer has presided over the Court while wearing jewellery like a model on the ramp and that on each and every occasion she tried to overpower or depress the advocates by citing unnecessary case laws and sections of statutes without hearing the advocates."

The judgment stated: "The respondent has further charged that the concerned judicial officer collects food items from the Majuli area through her office assistant and also makes personal use of an official driver and car."

The defence attorney had compared her to Bhasmasur, an evil figure from mythology who appears in the Puranas and the Mahabharata.

The order stated, "Several other allegations have been made to portray the concerned judicial officer in a derogatory manner and have attacked her understanding of law as well as derogated her personality in many ways, even by comparing her to a mythical character in the Purana or Mahabharat known as bhasmasur."

The ruling continued, "We hereby convict the respondent/contemnor on his plea of guilty being taken, in accordance with Section 14 of the Courts Act, 1971, in view of the plea of guilty taken by the respondent/contemnor."

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