Chennai: Lawyer caught in unsavoury situation during virtual session

After a video clipping of the incident went viral, the HC directed the CB-CID police to file an FIR and submit a report against the advocate for his lewd behaviour while attending the virtual court proceedings.

A division bench of Justices PN Prakash and R Hemalatha passed the injunction on a suo-motu case initiated against the advocate RD Santhana Krishnan. “The court could not turn a blind eye over these unruly incidents,” the bench held.

In the video, Advocate Krishnan, while attending the virtual court proceedings, was seemingly unaware of the functioning of the web camera and behaved in an unsavoury manner with a woman while sharing screen space with the judge. The video grab of that incident went viral on social media on Tuesday.

The court recommended the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry take severe action against advocate Krishnan. The judges also asked the cybercrime police department to prevent the spread of the offensive video clip on social media. The bench adjourned the matter to January 23, 2022.

The BC TN&PY has prohibited advocate Krishnan from practising before all courts and tribunals. “The BC TN&PY is prohibiting Krishnan from practising as an advocate in all courts, tribunals and other authorities in India either in his name or in any assumed name till the disposal of disciplinary proceedings pending against him for his indecent behaviour while attending the court proceedings of the High Court of Madras through virtual mode,” C Raja Kumar, Secretary, BC TN&PY said in a statement.

In the recent past, advocates have been caught dozing off and even seen attending hearings wearing unprofessional outfits on camera during virtual hearings.