woman-occupies-judge-s-chair-in-varanasi-court-attempts-hearing

 

Chaos and dramatic scenes unfolded in the Varanasi District Court on Friday after a middle-aged woman created panic by storming a courtroom, occupying the District Judge's chair and declaring herself as the Judge.

 

 

The woman entered a district judge's courtroom on the Varanasi court premises, sat on the judge's chair and started issuing directions while claiming to be the judge, officials said.The district judge was on leave when the incident took place on Friday, Varanasi Central Bar Association General Secretary Ashish Singh said.He said the woman appeared to be disturbed and had a case pending in the same court.She often visited the court premises in connection with her case.

 

The woman was stopped by women police personnel deployed at the court and taken to the Cantonment police station.Police said her behaviour during questioning suggested that she was not mentally stable.

 

An alleged video of the incident has gone viral on social media, in which the woman can be seen seated on the Judge's chair As per various media reports, which cite the statements of the eyewitnesses, the woman, attempting to conduct hearings, picked up the gavel, struck the desk and shouted, "Order, Order!...Today, I am the District Judge. Present the witnesses and evidence before me!"

 

The drama lasted for nearly an hour before the Cantt police personnel, including female cops, removed her from the chair and detained her for further questioning. She barged into the courtroom, asked what time the Judge usually arrives and thereafter, walked up to the dais and took the seat. She also flipped through the case files on the desk. Many attempts were made by the staff and the advocates to persuade her to step down; however, she shouted at everyone who tried to approach her.

 

 After the courtroom was cleared, ADJ Yajuvendra Vikram Singh inspected the room. He has also ordered an official inquiry and demanded an explanation from the officers on duty as to how the woman bypassed security to enter the courtroom premises. Local advocates claim that the woman had occupied the Judge's chair in a similar manner in the past. After completing necessary formalities, she was handed over to her family members, officials said.