Case filed against senior lawyer Rakesh Kishore for attacking CJI Gavai in Supreme Court

Bengaluru: A criminal case has been registered against senior Supreme Court lawyer Rakesh Kishore at the Vidhana Soudha police station for allegedly attacking Chief Justice of India (CJI) B.R. Gavai during court proceedings on October 6.

According to police, the case was filed based on a complaint by senior advocate Bhaktavatsala, who alleged that Kishore threw an object at the Chief Justice during a hearing — an act deemed illegal and contemptuous. Police confirmed that a case has been registered and an investigation is underway.

The shocking incident occurred during case listings before the CJI-led bench, when Kishore suddenly hurled an object towards Justice Gavai. He was immediately restrained by security personnel and escorted out of the courtroom. While being removed, Kishore shouted, “We will not tolerate any insult to the Sanatan institution.”

Following the attack, Chief Justice Gavai remained composed and continued court proceedings, stating, “We must not be disturbed by such incidents. They will not affect us or the functioning of this court.”

The case has drawn strong condemnation from the legal fraternity. Lawyers in Bengaluru and Mysuru staged protests, demanding Kishore’s immediate arrest. They described the attack as an “assault on the independence of the judiciary” and urged authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into what they termed “a deep conspiracy to undermine judicial integrity.”

Advocate S. Balan, speaking during the protest, said, “This reflects a dangerous mindset rooted in caste prejudice. This was not about religion — it was an act of hatred against a Dalit holding the country’s highest judicial position.”

Another lawyer, Dwarakanath, dismissed the claim that the CJI had insulted Sanatan Dharma as “baseless and fabricated.” He said extremist groups were using such narratives to stoke communal division and mistrust in the judiciary.

The attack reportedly stemmed from Kishore’s anger over a Supreme Court order dismissing a petition seeking the reconstruction of a seven-foot Vishnu idol at the UNESCO World Heritage Khajuraho temple complex in Madhya Pradesh. The bench, headed by CJI Gavai and Justice K. Vinod Chandran, had rejected the plea, asserting that all religions are to be respected equally under the Constitution.