Justice may be blind—but not oblivious. In a virtual hearing that flushed all norms of decorum, the Gujarat High Court found itself the unintended stage for a man who chose to attend proceedings from his bathroom throne.
The hearing, held on June 20 before Justice Nirzar S Desai, was supposed to be routine—a plea to quash a First Information Report (FIR) following a settlement. But what happened on camera was anything but routine.
Logging in under the name ‘Samad Battery’, the man initially appeared close to the screen, Bluetooth headset in place. Soon, however, his phone shifted, revealing the less-than-courtly location: he was very much seated on a toilet, mid-relief. The footage, which has since gone viral, showed him cleaning up, exiting the washroom, and then reappearing on screen from a more presentable room—perhaps just a bit too late for judicial dignity.
Despite the spectacle, the Court proceeded to quash the FIR, noting the matter had been resolved amicably. But the incident has added to a growing collection of digital courtroom absurdities.
Just months ago, the same High Court slapped a ₹50,000 fine on a litigant for puffing on a cigarette during a hearing. A similar scene played out in Delhi, where a court had to summon a litigant for the same smoky offense.
As Indian courts adapt to the digital era, it seems litigants might need a refresher course—not in law, but in basic video call etiquette.
