Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee describes attack on CJI Gaval as 'outrageous'

Kolkata, Oct 6 (PTI) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday condemned the attack on the Chief Justice of India Justice B R Gavai on the Supreme Court premises and described it as an assault on the Constitution.

In a shocking security breach, a 71-year-old lawyer allegedly attempted to hurl a shoe towards Gavai in his courtroom in the Supreme Court on Monday, prompting the Bar Council of India to suspend his license with immediate effect.

Voicing her outrage, the CM said in a X handle post, "I condemn the attack on Chief Justice of India Justice B R Gavai ji in the SC premises. This has been a most outrageous thing and effectively an assault on the Constitution of India." "I personally respect Justice Gavai and send him my regards from flood-hit North Bengal where I am camping now," she said.

The CJI, who remained unfazed during and after the unprecedented incident, asked the court officials and the security personnel present inside the courtroom to "just ignore" it and to let off the errant lawyer identified as Rakesh Kishore with a warning.

"Don't get distracted by all this. We are not distracted. These things do not affect me," the CJI, who was sitting on the bench with Justice K Vinod Chandran, told lawyers and continued hearing the mentioning of cases. PTI SUS MNB