The Supreme Court on Friday 23January stepped back from interfering in criminal contempt proceedings initiated by the Jharkhand High Court against Advocate Mahesh Tiwari, stressing that the issue was rooted in courtroom conduct and personal remorse rather than a legal dispute requiring its intervention.
A Bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi said the appropriate forum for resolution was the High Court itself.
Background of the Case
The controversy traces back to an intense courtroom exchange between Advocate Mahesh Tiwari and a single judge of the Jharkhand High Court during a hearing. A video clip of the exchange later surfaced online and spread rapidly across social media platforms.
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After taking note of the footage, a five-judge Bench of the Jharkhand High Court initiated suo motu criminal contempt proceedings against the lawyer. Tiwari then approached the Supreme Court, challenging the initiation of contempt action and seeking relief.
Submissions Before the Court
Appearing for the petitioner, Senior Advocate Siddhartha Dave argued that short, out-of-context video clips had worsened the situation. He cautioned that viral courtroom videos often distort reality and unfairly escalate matters.
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Dave told the Court that Tiwari never intended to disrespect the judge or disrupt judicial proceedings. He submitted that the lawyer regretted the incident and was prepared to file an unconditional apology before the High Court to put the issue to rest.
Court’s Observations
The Bench made it clear that the Supreme Court would not undermine the authority of the High Court.
“If he believes he is right, he must face the proceedings there. If he believes he was at fault, the correct step is to apologise,” the Chief Justice remarked during the hearing.
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Justice Bagchi observed that tensions between the Bar and the Bench can arise at different levels of the judicial system, often driven by professional pride.
Decision
After recording the submissions, the Supreme Court disposed of the petition. It granted liberty to Advocate Mahesh Tiwari to submit an affidavit of unconditional apology before the Jharkhand High Court.
The Bench also requested the High Court to consider the apology with sensitivity and pass an appropriate order as per law.
With this, the Supreme Court closed the matter, leaving it to the Jharkhand High Court to decide the fate of the contempt proceedings.
Case Title: Mahesh Tiwari v. The Registrar General of the High Court of Jharkhand at Ranchi
Bench: CJI Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi
Hearing Date: January 23, 2026
