New Delhi: High drama and unprecedented scenes unfolded in the Supreme Court on Friday, July 10, 2026, when a petitioner appearing in person disrupted formal proceedings by hurling documents and directed foul language toward the Chief Justice of India. The incident occurred during a hearing before a bench comprising Justice KV Viswanathan and Justice Alok Aradhe. Despite the gravity of the disruption, the bench chose to dismiss the petition strictly on its legal merits while responding to the individual's outburst with sympathy rather than punitive action.
The petitioner, identified as Prabal Pratap, was appearing against a prior decision of the Allahabad High Court. The atmosphere in the courtroom turned tense at the very outset when Pratap adopted an unusually hostile and commanding stance. Instead of making standard legal submissions, he addressed the judges with the remark, "Mr. judicial servant, I order you to order the registration of FIR against ACP Vikas Nagar, Lucknow". He further attempted to justify his aggressive tone by declaring, "I am the sovereign".
Justice Viswanathan immediately remarked, asking the litigant, "You are ordering us?". The petitioner asserted that everything required was already on the record. Shortly thereafter, without any provocation, the situation escalated rapidly. Pratap suddenly hurled a bundle of case papers into the air, scattering documents across the courtroom floor, and began shouting abusive remarks directed at the Chief Justice of India.
Supreme Court security personnel acted swiftly to intervene, securing the man and escorting him out of the premises. While courtroom disruptions of this scale often trigger immediate coercive measures or contempt of court charges, the bench decided against taking any such legal recourse.
Addressing the incident after the litigant was removed, Justice Viswanathan stated that the court did not propose to take any action against him. He explained that the petitioner appeared to be "very disturbed" and that his actions were driven entirely by personal frustration. "We only have sympathies for him," the judge remarked, offering a compassionate perspective on the litigant's mental state.
Following the disruption, the bench focused strictly on the legal aspects of the Special Leave Petition. Pratap had challenged an Allahabad High Court order which dismissed his writ petition against the Special Chief Judicial Magistrate (Custom), Lucknow. The lower court had directed that his application be treated as a private complaint instead of ordering the registration of an FIR under Section 173(4) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). The High Court had previously held that the petitioner had an efficacious alternative remedy.
The Supreme Court bench noted that a thorough review of the records revealed no valid grounds to overturn the impugned order. Consequently, the Special Leave Petition was dismissed.
