Lawyer Throws Shoe at CJI: 'Mindless,' Says Kharge, 'Reflection of Sangh Parivar Hatred,' Says Pinarayi Vijayan
New Delhi: A lawyer attempted to threw a shoe at Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai during the morning session at the Supreme Court on Monday (October 6).
No case was lodged against the advocate, who has been identified as 71-year-old Rakesh Kishore and whose license the Bar Council of India has suspended.
Kishore reportedly shouted, “Sanatan dharm ka apmaan nahi sahega Hindustan (India will not tolerate disrespect towards Sanatan Dharma),” as he was led out of the courtroom following the incident.
CJI Gavai was not perturbed, multiple reports noted. LiveLaw reported that he urged a lawyer to submit papers for the next case saying, “Don't get distracted. We are not distracted by this.”
Media reports said that the Delhi police let Kishore go after questioning him for around three hours.
No case has been registered against him and the Supreme Court declined to file a complaint, the Hindustan Times reported.
The newspaper also cited a police official as saying that Kishore's shoe as well as documents – a paper from among which proclaimed that India would not tolerate insults to sanatan dharma – were returned.
Following the incident, the Bar Council of India suspended Kishore's licence.
"On the basis of prima facie material, it appears that at about 11.35 a.m. on 6 October 2025, in Court No. 1 of the Supreme Court of India, you i.e. Advocate Rakesh Kishore, enrolled with the Bar Council of Delhi vide enrolment nos. D/1647/2009, removed your sports shoes and attempted to hurl them towards the Hon'ble Chief Justice of India during ongoing proceedings, whereupon you were detained by security. The conduct is, on the face of the record, inconsistent with the above-mentioned rules and the dignity of the court. In view of the foregoing, you i.e. Advocate Rakesh Kishore is suspended from practice with immediate effect," says the order suspending Kishore, reported LiveLaw.
The Bar Council of Delhi has been directed to immediately comply with the order, including updating the advocate's status, informing all courts and tribunals, and serving the order on the advocate at his enrolled address and registered email. A compliance report has to be filed with the Bar Council of India within two days.
Hours later, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in an X post condemning the incident said he had spoken to CJI Gavai.
“The attack on him earlier today in the Supreme Court premises has angered every Indian. There is no place for such reprehensible acts in our society. It is utterly condemnable,” wrote Modi.
He added that he appreciated the top judge's composure during the incident. It “highlights his commitment to values of justice and strengthening the spirit of our Constitution.”
The Union and law and justice ministry has not commented on the incident.
Full marks to the calm and composed demeanour with which the CJI continued the proceedings. Such odd events have happened before as well. CJI Hidayatullah, also from Nagpur had a shoe thrown by a disgruntled litigant. He ordered the shoe to be returned saying, “The man has lost… https://t.co/9XXfBjOwDV
— SANJAY HEGDE (@sanjayuvacha) October 6, 2025
"Such mindless act shows how hate, fanaticism and bigotry has engulfed our society in the past decade," Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge noted in a post on X.
An attempt to attack the Hon’ble Chief Justice of India in the Supreme Court today is unprecedented, shameful and abhorrent. It is an attack on the dignity of our Judiciary and the rule of law.
When a sitting Chief Justice who rose to the nation’s highest judicial office through…
— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) October 6, 2025
Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on X that the "alarming incident is a reflection of the hatred spread by the Sangh Parivar."
Strongly condemn the attempted attack on Chief Justice B.R. Gavai in the Supreme Court. This alarming incident is a reflection of the hatred spread by the Sangh Parivar. To dismiss it as an individual act is to ignore the growing climate of intolerance. When communal fanaticism…
— Pinarayi Vijayan (@pinarayivijayan) October 6, 2025
A 'lawyer' attempts to attack CJI BR Gavai in Supreme Court. He went near the dais and attempted to remove his shoe and throw it at the judge. The security personnel present in court intervened in the nick of time and escorted the 'lawyer' out. While walking out, the 'lawyer'… pic.twitter.com/1Os5smYIGi
— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) October 6, 2025
Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) president Sonia Gandhi also issued a statement condemning the incident.
"No words are adequate to condemn the attack on the Honourable Chief Justice of India in the Supreme Court itself. It is an assault not just on him but on our Constitution as well. Chief Justice Gavai has been very gracious but the nation must stand in solidarity with him unitedly with a deep sense of anguish and outrage," said Gandhi in her statement.
This article went live on October sixth, two thousand twenty five, at fifty-two minutes past nine at night.The Wire is now on WhatsApp. Follow our channel for sharp analysis and opinions on the latest developments.
