Man throws papers on Supreme Court bench after incoherent submissions
Image for illustration purposes only. | Photo credit: File
The Supreme Court on Friday (July 10, 2026) decided not to take action against a man who threw a wad of paper towards a bench during a hearing.
One side of the dispute addressed Supreme Court Justices KV Viswanathan and Alok Aradhe incoherently for several minutes before hurling a sheaf of papers towards the bench earlier in the day (July 10, 2026). Papers flew into the air in the courtroom. Security personnel immediately restrained the man and led him away as both judges and a stunned courtroom looked on.
The man, identified as Prabal Pratap, addressed the bench as “Mr. Judicial Officer” while “directing” the judges to take action against the Lucknow-based senior police officer.
Justice Viswanathan first intervened and asked the man if he had actually “ordered” the bench. In response, the man mumbled that he was “sovereign” before suddenly saying, “That’s all from me. Everything is recorded.” Then he took the loose papers from the folder and threw them towards the Bench. Security personnel intervened within moments.
The court order, published in the evening, interpreted the Bench’s decision not to take any action against Mr Pratap despite the fact that he had made “unparliamentary statements”.
“Regarding the condition of the above-named complainant, however, we do not propose to take any action against him. Regarding the essence of this case, we have looked at the files, we do not find a reason to interfere with the judgment,” reads the resolution rejecting the motion.
The incident recalls a similar incident in October last year when a lawyer threw an object at a bench headed by the then Chief Justice of India, Justice BR Gavai. The lawyer shouted slogans of “Sanatan Dharma” as he was escorted by security personnel.
Judge Gavai dismissed the incident and refused to open contempt proceedings against the man.
In 2009, a woman threw a slipper at Judge Arijit Pasayat (now retired) during the hearing of a contempt case. The slipper missed the referee, who ducked in time. The woman was taken into custody.
A more serious incident occurred in March 1968 in the courtroom of the Chief Justice of India, when a man with a knife attacked a judge on the bench.
The then Chief Justice of India, Justice M. Hidayatullah, who headed the bench, wrestled the assailant to the ground and held him until security personnel climbed onto the judges’ dais to arrest him. By then, the assailant attacked Justice AN Grover, who fell down after sustaining a blow to the back of the head.
Published – 10 Jul 2026 15:20 IST