Man attends virtual hearing of Gujarat HC while sitting on toilet seat, wipes himself on camera

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Kolkata: The COVID-19 pandemic has made society more digital, with virtual meetings becoming a key hallmark of our lives. Those meetings, conducted on various online platforms, have reduced the sacred line between personal and professional lives.

Nowadays, it has become a usual thing for people to attend video calls from bedrooms or multitask during meetings. In meetings which are audio-only, one may not notice the participants in most cases. But when the meeting demands visuals in video calls, then the question of decorum. And it is an important factor when it comes to formal settings like a courtroom.

In a recent incident, a man attended the virtual proceedings of the Gujarat High Court sitting in a toilet and relieving himself. The moment was captured on camera and the video, which has become viral on social media, has sparked widespread outrage and disbelief.

The antics of ‘Samad Battery’

The incident happened on June 20 before the Bench of Justice Nirzar S Desai, when a person logged into the virtual court session using the “Samad Battery” name. In the video, he could be seen wearing a Bluetooth earphone. Once the hearing began, he placed his phone at a distance. Eventually, it was revealed that he was sitting on a toilet. He wiped himself before going out of the bathroom and later reappeared in another room.

The Bar & Bench reported that the man took part as a respondent in a petition seeking the quashing of an FIR. Also, he was the original complainant in the criminal matter. Following the amicable resolution of the dispute between the two parties, the FIR was quashed.

Inappropriate conduct during virtual court hearings is nothing new. In April, a litigant was fined Rs 50,000 by the Gujarat High Court as he was caught smoking while attending the proceedings via video conferencing. Concerned citizens have called for stricter etiquette and clearer guidelines when it comes to virtual court appearances.