Today, the Supreme Court criticised a lawyer who approached it against a criminal contempt notice issued to him. The notice was issued after the lawyer had a heated verbal exchange with a Jharkhand High Court judge during court proceedings last year.

Advocate Mahesh Tiwari was involved in a heated exchange with Justice Rajesh Kumar on October 16, a video of which later went viral on social media.

During the argument, Tiwari told the judge to “not cross the limit.”

Following the incident, the Jharkhand High Court issued a criminal contempt notice against him. Later, Tiwari then approached Supreme Court, but did not get any relief.

"He just wants an order from the Supreme Court to show 'kya bigaad liya mera' (you could not do anything against me)," Chief Justice of India Surya Kant said, while slamming Tiwari for moving the top court against the high court's contempt proceedings.

"If he wants to apologise, he should apologise... If he wants to show his eyes to judges, then he may go ahead. We are sitting here, and we will also see then," the Chief Justice said.

The Supreme Court said the Jharkhand High Court should be sympathetic if Mahesh Tiwari apologises.

The incident happened when Tiwari was arguing a case for a widow whose electricity connection was cut due to unpaid dues of about ₹1.30 lakh. He told the court that she was willing to pay ₹25,000 to get the connection restored. However, Justice Rajesh Kumar said that as per an earlier court order, 50 per cent of the pending amount had to be deposited.

This disagreement led to a heated exchange in the courtroom, a video of which later went vira.

The issue was settled after Tiwari agreed that his client would deposit ₹50,000. However, the matter escalated after his case was over.

When the court took up the next case, Justice Rajesh Kumar reportedly made comments on the way Tiwari had argued his matter. The court then asked the chairman of the Jharkhand State Bar Council, who was present in the courtroom, to take note of the advocate’s conduct.

Tiwari then stood up, approached the bench, and pointed at the judge, and said, "I can argue in my own way, not in your way in which you say. Please mind that... Don't try to humiliate any advocate, I am telling you."

"You can't say the court is doing injustice," the judge shot back.

"Did I say it?" the lawyer said and asked the judge to check the live video recording.

"Please see the recording. I only prayed before your lordship... The country is burning with the judiciary. These are my words. Don't try to humiliate any advocate. You know a lot because you are a judge and we are advocates? I will argue in my own way. Don't cross the limit. Please, don't cross the limit. I have already practiced for the last 40 years," Tiwari said, and walked out.