"Lower Your Pitch": Chief Justice Rebukes Lawyer, He Apologises

Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud today asked a lawyer to lower his voice and asked if he was addressing the judges or the gallery outside the court. The three-judge bench, also comprising Justice Manoj Misra and Justice JB Pardiwala, was hearing the Kolkata doctor's rape and murder case that has shaken the nation.

During the arguments, Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal said he had videos and photographs to show that the lawyer was throwing stones at a protest over the August 9 incident at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

The lawyer is Advocate Kaustav Bagchi, also a BJP leader. He switched from the Congress to the BJP earlier this year.

Responding to Mr Sibal's throwing stones charge, the lawyer asked how a senior counsel can make such statements in court.

The Chief Justice then said, "Are you trying to address the gallery outside the court? I have been noticing your demeanour for the last two hours."

"Can you first lower your pitch? Listen to the Chief Justice, lower your pitch. You are addressing three judges in front of you, not the large audience who is watching these proceedings on the video conferencing platform," the Chief Justice added.

The lawyer then apologised to the bench.

The Trinamool Congress responded to the Chief Justice reprimanding Mr Bagchi. "But what else can we expect from a loudmouth half-time advocate, full-time @BJP4India karyakarta @koustavcp who thinks courtroom decorum can be bulldozed like everything else under their rule? Today, the Hon'ble Chief Justice rightfully pulled him up for his misconduct."

Later, as more lawyers started mentioning a variety of issues, the Chief Justice remarked, "I am not used to this kind of advocacy where 7-8 people are arguing at the same time."

READ: "If This Document Is Missing...": Top Court's Big Question In Kolkata Case

The Supreme Court has asked the CBI to file a fresh report in the case next Tuesday. The central agency today flagged the forensic report in the case and said "who collected the samples" has emerged as a relevant question.

Solicitor General Mehta said the central agency had decided to send samples to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Delhi.

"We have forensic examination report and one thing is admitted that when the girl was found at 9:30 am, her jeans and undergarments were removed and lying nearby... semi-nude and injury marks also on body... they have taken samples. they have sent to CFSL in West Bengal. CBI has taken a decision to send the sample to AIIMS," he said.

Without explicitly mentioning the findings, the Solicitor General said, "Person enters, girl is nude and this is the result of FSL. So who took the sample is relevant."