Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud chastised BJP leader Advocate Kaustav Bagchi for his outburst during a Supreme Court hearing today. The three-judge bench, which also included Justices Manoj Misra and JB Pardiwala, was hearing the case of an alleged rape and murder of a Kolkata doctor, an incident that has caused widespread outrage.
During the proceedings, Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal accused Kaustav Bagchi of throwing stones during a demonstration and presented videos and images as proof. Bagchi, who defected from the Congress to the BJP earlier this year, questioned the validity of Sibal’s charges in court.
Chief Justice Chandrachud intervened, questioning whether Bagchi was addressing the judges or playing to an audience outside the courtroom. “I have been noticing your demeanor for the last two hours,” the Chief Justice remarked. He then advised Bagchi to lower his voice, reminding him that he was addressing the bench, not the public watching the proceedings via video conferencing.
The lawyer quickly apologized to the bench. As the session continued and more lawyers began bringing up various issues simultaneously, Chief Justice Chandrachud expressed his frustration, stating, “I am not used to this kind of advocacy where 7-8 people are arguing at the same time.”The session highlighted the case’s high stakes and emotionally sensitive character, which remains under intense public and legal scrutiny.