Overview

• A video published on June 27 shows ‘Samad Battery’ attending a June 20 Gujarat High Court hearing from a toilet seat, prompting disbelief when the footage revealed him relieving himself.
• Court filings indicate he was the complainant in a cheque-bounce FIR and entered as a respondent seeking its quashing, which the bench approved after an amicable settlement.
• Social media and legal circles have denounced the conduct as an affront to judicial dignity and demanded formal etiquette standards for virtual proceedings.
• Earlier virtual misconduct led to a ₹2 lakh fine and court-mandated community service in March and a ₹50,000 penalty in April for improper on-camera behaviour.
• Despite the backlash, the Gujarat High Court has not introduced new rules governing decorum in its livestreamed hearings.