Delhi Surgeon Fined, Sentenced Till Rising of Court for Throwing Rice in Alleged ‘Black Magic’ Act During Hearing
Delhi Court convicted a surgeon for disrupting proceedings by allegedly throwing rice in suspected black magic act; imposed fine of Rs. 2,000 and sentenced till rising of court;
By : Sukriti Mishra
Update: 2025-08-14 15:25 GMT
In an unusual incident inside a Delhi courtroom, a surgeon has recently been convicted for disrupting judicial proceedings after allegedly throwing rice on the floor during a hearing, prompting suspicions of black magic among Advocates present.
The matter came up before Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Shefali Barnala Tandon of Tis Hazari Court on August 11, 2025, during proceedings in a criminal case against accused Dr. Chander Vibhas.
Initially, the defence counsel informed the Court that the accused did not wish to admit documents pursuant to a Delhi High Court order dated August 1, 2025, and sought examination of witnesses as per an earlier court order. Summons were then issued to nodal officers of Vodafone, Reliance Communication, and Airtel to produce records.
At this point, the Court staff, and the Prosecution informed the Judge that the accused doctor had thrown rice under the dais. Multiple lawyers, including the Deputy Chief Legal Aid Counsel and the prosecutor, confirmed witnessing the act.
On being questioned, the accused claimed the rice had fallen accidentally from his hands but failed to explain why he was carrying it during court proceedings.
"The same has been also been informed by Ld. Counsels present in the Court including Sh. Ram Kumar, Ld. Dy. Chief Legal Aid Counels, Sh. Dhruv Bhagat, Advocate and Ld. Prosecutor. 4. On enquiry, accused stated that he was having some rice in his hands which have just fallen down. However, he fails to explain as to why he was carrying rice in his hands while entering the Court and during Court proceedings," the Court noted in its order dated August 11.
The Court staff further informed that a similar incident occurred on August 2, when rice was found scattered in the courtroom while the Court was on leave. Although the accused claimed he had attended that day via video conferencing, the order sheet showed his physical presence.
With rice scattered across the courtroom floor, lawyers hesitated to approach the dais, citing concerns over black magic. Proceedings were halted for ten minutes until a sweeper arrived. The accused was directed to collect the rice and remain in court until the conclusion of the day's proceedings.
"The Court Room is entirely full and the Advocates present in Court have requested the Court to get the rice removed/cleaned, spilled all over as they hesitate to approach the dias for their matters to be taken up after this matter. Accordingly, accused is directed to collect the rice from the floor which seems to have been deliberately thrown by him and the staff of the undersigned is directed to call for a sweeper immediately through Care Taking Branch. Till the time the sweeper comes, the Court proceedings have been halted at the request of Ld. Counsels present in the Court since they suspect Black Magic by accused. The sweeper has come after 10 minutes and cleaned the floor," the Court order reads.
In the post-lunch session, the Judge noted that the accused’s conduct had delayed proceedings by 15–20 minutes, constituting an offence under Section 267 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, which penalises intentional insult or interruption to a public servant during judicial proceedings.
The Court observed that such acts, if unchecked, erode the dignity of the judiciary and undermine the legal process. "The Court Room is a space where justice is sought and delivered and maintaining its dignity is essential for Rule of Law. Disrespect towards the Court or disruption of judicial proceedings sends a damaging public message and such overt act/behaviour of accused today not only disrupted the Court proceedings and undermind the judicial process but also threatens the very foundation of our legal system," it said.
The judge also referred to the Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and other Inhuman, Evil and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act, 2013, which criminalises practices exploiting superstition and ignorance, noting that such behaviour was especially shocking given the accused’s professional and educational background.
When the notice of offence was explained, Dr. Vibhas pleaded guilty, apologised, and expressed remorse. His counsel stated he had been misguided by someone and undertook not to repeat such acts.
Considering the apology and remorse, the Court sentenced him to imprisonment till the rising of the court and imposed a fine of Rs. 2,000, which he paid immediately.
The matter was posted for prosecution evidence on August 18.
The Court’s detailed order underscored the importance of preserving the sanctity of judicial proceedings and sent a clear message against any conduct perceived to disrupt or disrespect the court’s authority.
"The Court Room is a space where justice is sought and delivered and maintaining its dignity is essential for Rule of Law. Disrespect towards the Court or disruption of judicial proceedings sends a damaging public message and such overt act/behaviour of accused today not only disrupted the Court proceedings and undermind the judicial process but also threatens the very foundation of our legal system," the Judge said.
Case Title: State v. Chander Vibhash
Order Date: August 11, 2025
Bench: ASJ Shefali Barnala Tondon