The Gauhati high court has recently convicted a lawyer for his comments on the jewellery of a judge of a subordinate court and for demeaning her by comparing her to a mythical character ‘Bhasmasur’-  a demon.

Justice Kalyan Rai Surana and Justice Devashis Baruah in the suo motu case granted bail to the advocate on a personal bond of Rs 10,000.

The bench stated in its order that advocate Utpal Goswami has been charged with criminal contempt under Section 14 of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971.

“Several other allegations have been made to portray the concerned judicial officer in a demeaning manner and (he) has attacked her understanding of law as well as derogated her personality in many ways by even comparing her to a mythical character in Purana/Mahabharat, known as Bhasmasur ,” the court said in its order.

“The advocate, in his defence affidavit filed on January 17, “has pleaded guilty to the charge. He has specifically admitted that he had come to realise that respect of judges and magistrates of any court should be preserved and protected by the establishment of peace, order, harmony and tranquillity in human society,” the bench added.

“Further, he has admitted that he has committed the crime due to insufficient knowledge of law and its practice and hence he tendered his unconditional apology as this is his first offence and he assured the court that he shall never repeat this type of behaviour in future (sic),” the bench noted in its order.

The order said that the “petitioner has made a scathing comment that the presiding officer has been presiding over the court by wearing jewellery like a model on a ramp and that on each and every occasion she tried to overpower/depress the advocates by citing unnecessary case laws and sections of statutes without hearing the advocates and tried to control the court room behaving like a Gangue (sic)”.

The sentencing hearing was to be done on March 20, 2023 but no further update has been received.