Latest news with #Tanna
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Gujarat HC closes suo motu contempt proceedings against Surat man seen on toilet seat, senior advocate seen ‘drinking' from beer mug during virtual hearings
The Gujarat High Court on Tuesday directed a man, who was captured attending a virtual court proceeding while 'seated on a toilet seat and relieving himself' on June 20, to perform community service at a centre for mentally challenged persons near his residence in Surat and closed the suo motu contempt proceedings initiated against him. The court also closed the suo motu contempt proceedings initiated against Senior Advocate Bhaskar Tanna after accepting his unconditional apology. Senior Advocate Tanna was seen 'drinking' from a beer mug during a virtual hearing. The Division Bench of Justices A S Supehia and R T Vachchani orally dictated the order on Tuesday, directing the Surat-based man to perform unpaid community service at Mamta Mansik Swashtiya Kendra in Surat for a period of 15 days. The court noted that the man had already deposited a fine of Rs 1 lakh with the court registry, as directed in the previous hearing on July 14 and tendered an unconditional apology. In his affidavit of unconditional apology, the man had stated that 'he realises his mistake and is ashamed of his conduct and he holds utmost respect for the majesty and authority of this court. Further it is stated that the court may take a sympathetic view and forgive him for the act', the court also noted. The court said that the act of the man for which the contempt proceedings were registered, '…is an act, which lowers the majesty and sanctity of this court. The offending act committed by the contemnor though inadvertently, is of such a high degree that it cannot be ignored. It is contended that there was no ill-intention on behalf of the contemnor to commit such an act. However, we are of the opinion that the proof of mens rea (intention) is excluded by such conduct. No defense is available to the contemnor to plead that such a nature of the act, which bows down the majesty of the court, only for reason that he had no intention to commit such act… The act committed by the contemnor has the tendency to interfere with the administration of justice and also tends to lower the authority and majesty of this court and in fact is a criminal contempt as defined by the Contempt of Courts Act…' In a separate suo motu contempt proceeding against Senior Advocate Tanna, 'for using his phone to talk and drinking from a beer mug' while attending a court proceeding virtually, the court observed that Tanna has been a practicing advocate since 52 years and has submitted an unconditional apology. The court said in the dictated order, 'From the report prepared by Registry and on overall appreciation of facts and reading of affidavit of unconditional apology, we find that contemptuous act was committed through an error and Shri Tanna had no intention to wilfully lower down majesty of this court. We accept the unconditional apology tendered by Shri Tanna. Learned senior advocate Mr Tanna has assured that such an error shall not be committed in future'. Senior advocate Shalin Mehta, appearing for the High Court Registry, submitted that a report has been filed with recommendation that the waiting room for online proceedings should be re-introduced for virtual hearings to allow only participants of a hearing to join when their matter is called out, so that no direct access is given. Mehta informed the court that the suggestion has been submitted and is pending before the full court. The Division Bench of the High Court orally stated that participants of virtual hearings are 'dragging the court' to places such as the washroom. 'The sanctity of the court, the majesty of the court is absolutely obliterated… That is very serious,' the court remarked orally. The Surat man, who was personally present in court on Tuesday, had appeared in the court of Justice Nirzar Desai by way of virtual proceedings on June 20, in the hearing for quashing a case in which he was a complainant. Senior Advocate Bhaskar Tanna was attending the virtual proceedings on June 26 in the court of Justice Sandeep Bhatt.
Hindustan Times
6 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
ED attaches assets worth £207k in UK as part of money laundering probe in cheating case
MUMBAI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has provisionally attached immovable assets worth GBP 2.07 lakh (around ₹2.3 crore), including a building and land, located in United Kingdom (UK) and belonging to one of the promoters of a real estate firm, as part of its money laundering investigation in an alleged ₹85.75 crore cheating case. The attached assets were in the form of agricultural land, residential flats, commercial shops and a bungalow, in Mumbai and Ahmednagar in Maharashtra. (HT Photo) The attached assets belong to Jayesh Tanna, one of the promoters of the Sai Group of entities and his wife, ED officials said. The accused entity and persons allegedly caused losses worth ₹85 crore to investors and prospective buyers of flats, among others, by siphoning off funds from certain redevelopment projects for their personal use, said ED officials. The attachments of the properties, including the building and the land, were done on Wednesday under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the officials said. The attachment order was sent to UK's authorities for execution through the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty between India and the UK, according to the agency. ED's investigation revealed that the attached assets were allegedly acquired by Tanna in 2017, the period when the crime being investigated by the ED occurred. Tanna acquired the assets by siphoning off a part of the case's proceeds of crime (POC), amounting to GBP 2.07 lakh, to the UK. The POC was allegedly generated by cheating and defrauding investors and flat buyers in the case, the officials said. ED registered its ECIR (Enforcement Case Information Report) in 2024 based on multiple cases registered by the Mumbai police under various sections of the Indian Penal Code. The Mumbai police's cases were registered against Tanna, Deep Tanna (the promoters of Sai group of entities) and a few others. Subsequently, the Mumbai police submitted their chargesheets in a majority of the cases they were investigating. ED's investigation so far in the case has revealed that the promoters of the Sai Group had allegedly indulged in malpractices involving the diversion of funds of flat and shop buyers, in a few of its proposed redevelopment projects, for their personal benefits, which resulted in the non-delivery of these projects. Such malpractices allegedly caused losses to buyers, old tenants (original society members) and investors of an estimated ₹85.75 crore in total. These projects in the probe were located in D N Nagar, Andheri, Kandivali and Goregaon in suburban Mumbai. So far, the ED has attached assets worth ₹35.65 crore in the case. Last month, the ED had attached provisionally assets worth ₹33.89 crore in the case. The attached assets were in the form of agricultural land, residential flats, commercial shops and a bungalow, in Mumbai and Ahmednagar in Maharashtra.
Indian Express
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Gujarat High Court directs man seen on toilet seat during virtual hearing to pay fine of Rs 1 lakh
The Gujarat High Court on Monday directed a man, who was captured on camera attending a virtual court proceeding while 'seated on a toilet seat' last month, to pay a fine of Rs 1 lakh in the contempt proceeding initiated against him. The Division Bench of Justice AS Supehia and Justice RT Vachhani, while dictating the order, said that a report of the court registry had revealed that the man had joined the virtual proceedings in the court of Justice Nirzar Desai on June 20 for a total period of 74 minutes, and was seen on a toilet seat while relieving himself. The Surat man, who was personally present in court on Monday, has been directed to deposit Rs 1 lakh to the court's registry before the next hearing on July 22. On the same day, the court also heard the suo motu contempt plea against Senior Advocate Bhaskar Tanna, who tendered an unconditional apology for appearing in a virtual proceeding while drinking from a beer mug. The Division Bench, during an oral exchange with Tanna, who submitted that he had 'no intention' to disrespect the court, asked if 'lack of intent could erase a contemptuous act'. In the case of the Surat man, the court also questioned his lawyer whether he had been advised about appropriate behaviour in court. The lawyer informed the court that the man had been advised to present himself in an appropriate manner. The lawyer had represented the man in the June 20 hearing, which pertained to quashing a case in which the Surat resident was a complainant. Meanwhile, referring to Tanna's case, the bench said that the court registry had submitted a report stating that the senior advocate remained connected to the virtual proceedings for 26 minutes on June 26 before Justice Sandeep Bhatt when he was 'seen talking on phone and having a drink in a beer mug' during the proceedings. While submitting his unconditional apology, Tanna said, 'I am not defending myself. I'm only pointing out so it can be taken care of. If control (with regard to joining the proceedings) is with the lawyers, this problem may arise. In my case, it was a pure error. If control is kept with officers of the court, our entry into the court wouldn't happen… And that's what the Supreme Court does.' During the hearing of the contempt petition, the court said that the Registrar of Information Technology had not submitted a report apprising the court about the 'mechanism to deal with contumacious litigants during online proceedings'. When the division bench was informed that the framing of the mechanism had been undertaken and submitted to the Chief Justice for approval, the court decided to hear the matter on July 22.
NDTV
05-07-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
No 'Cheers' In Gujarat High Court
The Gujarat High Court on Tuesday (July 1) initiated suo motu contempt proceedings against senior advocate Bhaskar Tanna for allegedly consuming beer during a virtual hearing. The incident occurred before Justice Sandeep Bhatt on June 26, when Tanna was seen drinking from what appeared to be a beer mug while on a phone call. A video clip of the incident is now circulating widely on social media. Just a week earlier, another video went viral showing a man attending a High Court hearing virtually-while sitting on a toilet. These recurring instances raise uncomfortable questions: In an era when virtual courts are meant to facilitate speedier justice, do such incidents trivialise the institution and erode the decorum it demands? The Virtual Reality A division bench of Justices A.S. Supehia and R.T. Vachhani has questioned whether Tanna should retain his senior counsel status, given his "outrageous and glaring" conduct. The court will take further action after a hearing in two weeks. The bench rightly noted that such behaviour has "wide and serious ramifications" for the judicial system and the rule of law. Virtual hearings, introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic, have brought with them their own set of challenges-and embarrassments. Like physical courtrooms, virtual sessions require all participants to maintain dignity. Any lapse undermines the decorum courts stand for. The image of a man relieving himself with the camera on, even if inadvertently, is deeply disturbing. Courts were quick to adapt during the pandemic, but virtual hearings soon revealed lapses-from informality in dress to shocking behaviour. These episodes prompted the higher judiciary to stress that minimum courtroom etiquette must be observed-even online. Lawyers, in particular, are expected to appear presentable and ensure their surroundings are appropriate for court proceedings. The Larger Issue The 'beer incident' has sparked debate in legal circles about professionalism in the digital age. While sipping water during arguments is common, drinking beer during a live hearing-especially in a dry state like Gujarat-crosses a line. It reflects a troubling casualness toward judicial institutions. "A person behaving inappropriately during a virtual hearing lowers the dignity of the court," said Gujarat High Court advocate Vijay Patel. "And when a senior advocate behaves this way, it sends an even worse message." Court proceedings are streamed live, and recordings are accessible to students, junior lawyers, and the general public. Senior advocates serve as role models, and their conduct sets the tone for future generations. "Seniors are examples for juniors-this sets a bad precedent," Patel added. "This incident not only invites contempt charges but also merits disciplinary action." Courts have laid down rules for decorum in virtual proceedings-including attire and behaviour. Gujarat's own High Court (Live Streaming of Court Proceedings) Rules, 2021, were cited in this case. Also relevant is Gujarat's prohibition on alcohol. Residents can procure liquor only with health permits. While Tanna may have obtained beer legally, consuming it during a court session-even virtually-may invite strict judicial scrutiny. Time for a Framework With virtual hearings here to stay, the judiciary needs a clear, comprehensive legal framework to govern online proceedings. Judicial norms must be preserved not only in physical courtrooms but in every space where justice is delivered-even when no one appears to be watching. The legal profession carries a legacy built on discipline, propriety, and public trust. It falls on all stakeholders-judges, lawyers, and litigants-to honour that legacy, online and offline.
Hindustan Times
02-07-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Shocking video shows Gujarat lawyer casually sipping on beer during court hearing
In a shocking video, a senior Indian lawyer was seen sipping on a beer mug during his virtual appearance at court proceedings in Gujarat. A video showing senior counsel Bhaskar Tanna casually sipping on beer from a mug in front of Justice Sandeep Bhatt on June 25 has gone viral on social media. A video showing senior counsel Bhaskar Tanna casually sipping on beer from a mug has gone viral on social media.(X/RahulKajalRG) The Gujarat High Court was appalled by the incident and initiated suo motu contempt proceedings against the lawyer for the "outrageous and glaring" conduct. A division bench of Justice AS Supehia and Justice RT Vachhani said that Bhaskar Tanna's senior counsel title should be withdrawn due to his conduct. In the clip, showing court proceedings over a Zoom call, three windows are visible. One shows Justice Bhatt, while the other two show the lawyers in the case. Tanna, who was appearing virtually for the court proceedings, is seen standing in front of a background as lawyers argued the case. At one point, he grabs a beer mug and casually takes a sip before putting it aside. Take a look at the clip here: "A video clip of high court proceedings widely circulated in social media shows his contemptuous behaviour of talking on the phone and also having a drink in a beer mug while attending the hearing," Justice Supehia stated. The high court directed the registry to issue a notice to the lawyer and barred him from appearing virtually before the court. "The demeanour of Tanna defies the privilege of senior counsel conferred upon him by the court. As per our opinion his title should be withdrawn, however, that will be decided at a later stage," the bench said. This comes after another clip last week showed a man attending court proceedings while sitting on the toilet. The man, who had his camera on during the Gujarat High Court proceedings, was seen adjusting his phone as he sat inside a toilet at his home. (With PTI inputs)
