The Punjab Police have registered multiple FIRs across several districts against individuals accused of posting casteist and objectionable remarks on social media targeting Chief Justice of India (CJI) B.R. Gavai.
According to police, more than 100 social-media accounts have been flagged for spreading hate speech and promoting enmity after an advocate hurled a shoe at CJI Gavai during a Supreme Court hearing earlier this week.
“The posts were aimed at provoking violence, insulting a member of a Scheduled Caste, and eroding respect for a constitutional position,” a Punjab Police spokesperson said.
Authorities said the online posts attempted to incite hostility on caste lines and amounted to public mischief. Several complaints were received from multiple districts, prompting registration of cases under relevant sections of the IPC and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Earlier, a 71-year-old lawyer, Rakesh Kishore, allegedly tried to throw an object reportedly a shoe at CJI Gavai while shouting slogans against the court’s remarks in a temple-restoration case.
He was quickly detained by security personnel, and the Bar Council of India has since suspended his license.
Despite the disturbance, CJI Gavai continued proceedings calmly, remarking, “Don’t get distracted. We are not disturbed by this.”
