Supreme Court Shoe-Throwing Incident: Criminal Contempt Proceedings Sought Against Rakesh Kishore

Criminal contempt proceedings have been initiated against suspended advocate Rakesh Kishore, 71, who attempted to throw a shoe at Chief Justice of India (CJI) BR...

Criminal contempt proceedings have been initiated against suspended advocate Rakesh Kishore, 71, who attempted to throw a shoe at Chief Justice of India (CJI) BR Gavai inside the Supreme Court on Monday, October 7, 2025. Authorities have reportedly sent a letter to the Attorney General of India seeking permission to commence formal contempt action.

Incident Overview

Kishore was immediately restrained by security personnel and later suspended by the Bar Council of India for the incident. Speaking to ANI on Tuesday, Kishore stated that his actions were motivated by “emotional pain” over what he perceives as repeated judicial interference in Hindu religious matters, and he expressed no regret for his actions.

“No, the thing is, I was deeply hurt. On September 16, a PIL was filed in the Chief Justice’s court. Justice Gavai completely mocked it. He said, ‘Go pray to the idol, ask the idol to restore its own head,’” Kishore told ANI.

He emphasised that his actions were not out of anger but from distress over judicial interventions in Hindu practices. Kishore claimed he has no political affiliations or criminal background and asked the public to consider why a “non-violent, simple, honest person” felt compelled to act in this manner.

Allegations Against the Judiciary

Kishore criticised the judiciary, alleging that it treats cases involving different communities unequally:

He cited Haldwani railway land encroachment and the Nupur Sharma case as examples where he believes courts were lenient toward other communities.
He criticised CJI Gavai’s remarks during a Mauritius visit regarding UP bulldozer actions against encroachments, claiming that the Chief Justice should uphold the dignity of his constitutional position.

“The CJI should think that when he is sitting on such a high constitutional post, he should understand the meaning of 'Milord' and uphold its dignity… I am hurt and will continue to be so,” Kishore said.

Political Reactions

The incident drew strong condemnation across the political spectrum:

BJP: National spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi called the act “utterly condemnable,” highlighting that it “hurt every Indian” and praised CJI Gavai for maintaining calm. He cited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s anger over the incident and commended the Chief Justice’s restraint as upholding constitutional values.
Opposition Parties: Leaders from Congress, CPI, CPI(M), NCP-SP, Shiv Sena (UBT), DMK, and others described the incident as “an assault on the Constitution” and a dangerous breach of democratic decorum. They said it reflected a growing climate of hate and fanaticism and called it a “new low in India’s democratic history.”

Next Steps

With the Attorney General’s approval, the Supreme Court may initiate criminal contempt proceedings against Kishore, potentially leading to penalties, including fines or imprisonment. Meanwhile, the Bar Council’s suspension remains in effect as the case unfolds.