Gujarat: Man jailed for hurling sandals at HC judge
A magisterial court in Ahmedabad sentenced a tea vendor from Gujarat's Rajkot district to 18 months in jail for hurling his sandals at a High Court judge in 2012. Chief Judicial Magistrate VA Dhadhal of Mirzapur Rural Court on Thursday held Bhavanidas Bavaji guilty as charged under IPC Section 353 (assault on a government servant to deter him from discharging his duty).
No provision of probation for Bavaji
In his statement to the police, Bavaji had claimed that he hurled his sandals at the judge out of frustration over the long pendency of his case. The magistrate Dhadhal refused to grant Bavaji benefits of probation, a provision of releasing convicts for good conduct. However, considering Bavaji's financial condition, the magistrate did not impose any fine on him.
The case dates back to April, 2012
As per the case details, the accused had hurled his sandals at High Court Justice KS Jhaveri on April 11, 2012, during a hearing. Luckily, none of the sandals hit Justice Jhaveri. The judge had then inquired the reason for the act. Bavaji was then handed over to Sola Police Station, which booked him under Section 186 and 353 of the IPC.
Bavaji was fighting a case against Bhayavadar Municipality
Police probe revealed that Bavaji ran a roadside tea stall in Bhayavadar. When the Bhayavadar municipality asked him to remove the stall, Bavaji managed to secure a stay order from the Gondal Sessions Court, following which the municipality filed an appeal in the High Court. Bavaji claimed that on the basis of that appeal, the municipality removed his tea stall, rendering him jobless.
Bavaji was frustrated as he had no money left
With no source of income, the accused lost his mental balance, as he had to borrow or beg for money from others to travel to Ahmedabad to attend the hearings. In his order, the magistrate observed that though it is a fact that cases are not getting disposed of in time, that cannot be a reason for throwing sandals at a High Court judge.
