Ahmedabad: The Gujarat High Court on Monday took suo motu cognisance and initiated contempt proceedings against Senior Advocate Bhaskar Tanna for allegedly consuming beer during a virtual court session.

A Division Bench comprising Justices A.S. Supehia and R.T. Vachhani described Tanna’s behaviour as “outrageous” and temporarily barred him from appearing before their bench via video conferencing.

The bench stated, “Till further orders are passed, we restrict the appearance of Shri Bhaskar Tanna through virtual mode before this bench. The registry shall apprise the Honourable Chief Justice about the present order. In case the Honourable Chief Justice permits, the present order shall be circulated to Principal Private Secretaries and Private Secretaries of other respective benches.”

The Court also directed the Registry to issue a notice to Tanna and stated that his designation as a Senior Advocate may be re-evaluated. “Such indecent conduct has far-reaching consequences and undermines the dignity of this institution. If left unchecked, it could erode public confidence in the rule of law,” the bench remarked.

The controversy stems from a video clip in which Tanna was seen sipping beer from a mug during a virtual hearing before Justice Sandeep Bhatt on June 26.

The Division Bench also emphasized the potential negative influence such conduct could have on junior members of the Bar, who consider Senior Advocates as mentors and role models. “This conduct tarnishes the privilege of being a Senior Counsel. We believe the designation needs to be reconsidered,” the judges said.

Accordingly, the Court directed the Registry to formally register the contempt case, preserve the video evidence, and present a detailed report by the next hearing. The matter is scheduled to come up again in two weeks. DeshGujarat