The Gujarat High Court division bench of Chief Justice Aravind Kumar and Justice Ashutosh J Shastri pulled up a Gujarat Police inspector for “sipping Coca-Cola” while attending the division bench’s virtual proceedings.
Inspector AM Rathod was then asked to distribute 100 Coca-Cola cans to members of the bar association or face disciplinary action.
THE CASE
On seeing inspector Rathod sipping a beverage repeatedly, the bench interrupted the ongoing hearing to ask Additional Government Pleader DM Devnani, “Is Mr Rathod drinking Coca-Cola during the video conference?”
When the AGP immediately apologised to the bench for the official’s behaviour, the bench remarked, “the can shows it’s Coca-Cola, but we don’t know the contents.”
The bench reprimanded Inspector Rathod’s actions, asking, “Is this how an officer behaves? Would he have come to court with a Coca-Cola can?”
The bench recalled another incident in which one of the advocates was caught on camera eating a samosa. “We said we have no objections to anyone eating samosa, but they shouldn’t eat it in front of us because others are also tempted to eat samosa. So he should either not eat it or give it to everyone,” said the Chief Justice.
COURT’S ORDER
The bench directed AM Rathod to distribute 100 cans of Coca-Cola to the Bar Association by the same evening, stating that “otherwise, we will ask that the Chief Secretary initiate disciplinary proceedings.”
“Show us virtually that you have received it. Otherwise, Rathod ko chhodenge nahi [we will not leave Rathod],” the bench remarked.
