Cellphone rings, owner booked for contempt of court

A trilling mobile almost landed its owner in jail the other day. Hard to believe? Not really. For it rang in the city’s lower courts, e...

A trilling mobile almost landed its owner in jail the other day.

Hard to believe? Not really. For it rang in the city’s lower courts, early in the morning of April 29, just as the judge had started the hearings for the day.

The unfortunate owner was one Umesh, a resident of Murli Nagar, Naka area. It was not very clear whether he had deliberately disregarded the instructions to switch off mobiles, or he simply forgot.

What, however, was clear that the district judge, Shiv Charan Sharma, was far from pleased when a fancy ringtone cut short the hearing.

Though mobiles are banned in court, there are violators. Most of the time, the culprits are let off with a reprimand from the bench.

But not Umesh. Not that day. Sharma ordered that his phone be confiscated and a notice for contempt of court be issued against him.

It was done immediately.

The notice, issued under Section 340 of the CrPC, pointed out: ‘‘Mobile phone of Umesh caused disturbance in the discharge of court work, therefore he (Umesh) may be taken into custody and his cellphone be forfeited.’’

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A show cause was served on the offender there and then and the court orderlies confiscated the phone.

Umesh was detained till late afternoon. He was released only after submitting a written apology.