Man attends virtual hearing at Gujarat HC from toilet, video goes viral
Ahmedabad, Jun 27 (PTI): A video showing a man attending a virtual hearing at the Gujarat High Court from a toilet seat went viral on Friday.
The incident occurred on June 20 when Justice Nirzar S Desai was hearing a case.
A man wearing a yellow t-shirt logged in using a mobile phone, with the name on the screen identifying him as `Samad Battery'.
Shockingly, the video shows that he had been sitting on a toilet seat while he attended the proceedings through video link.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the Gujarat High Court has allowed both lawyers and litigants to join through the virtual mode, and the proceedings of each hearing are broadcast live via the court's YouTube channel.
The short, about one minute-long video showed that the man had kept the mobile phone on the floor of the toilet with the camera facing him.
After finishing his business in the toilet, he picked up the phone and left. Justice Desai apparently did not notice his actions or the surroundings.
The same person, wearing wireless earphones, can be seen logging in again later in the livestream, sitting in a room and waiting for his turn.
After nearly ten minutes, Justice Desai asked his name and he identified himself as Abdul Samad, a resident of Kim village of Surat and the complainant in a case of assault.
His lawyers informed the court that Samad had recently lodged a complaint of assault against two persons in Kim, but both the parties have arrived at a compromise.
Hearing the petition filed by the two accused seeking to quash the First Information Report, Justice Desai asked Samad if he consented to it. He told the court he had no objection, following which Justice Desai granted the accused's plea.
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26-year-old youth from Andhra dies by suicide in US
Kurnool (Andhra Pradesh) (PTI): A 26-year-old youth from this district has died allegedly by suicide in Chicago, US, recently, due to distress over debt, sources said on Saturday.
The family members of the deceased have requested that the identity of their relative be withheld, noting that his parents are senior citizens suffering from medical conditions.
Reacting to the incident, Andhra Pradesh IT Minister Nara Lokesh expressed condolences and assured assistance for the repatriation of the mortal remains of the deceased.
"My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family. I request Union Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu to ensure smooth and hassle-free transport of the mortal remains," Lokesh said in a post on X.
An NRI community member from the US posted on social media that one of their members from Kurnool on Optional Practical Training (OPT) passed away in Chicago a few days ago.
He said Telugu Association of North America (TANA) had completed all necessary documentation and formalities to send the mortal remains to India for final rites.
He further requested assistance in expediting the cargo pickup, currently scheduled for Sunday, seeking an earlier arrangement considering the urgency.
(Assistance for overcoming suicidal thoughts is available on the state’s health helpline 104, Tele-MANAS 14416.)
