Lawyer raises grievance against "insult" by Justice SS Shinde of Bombay High Court; Justice Shinde expresses regret for "harsh words"

The hearing before the Bombay High Court in the case relating to former Home Minister Anil Deshmukh witnessed some gripping scenes on Tuesday as Mumbai lawyer Dr. Jaishri Patil told the Court that she had complained to the Chief Justice of India NV Ramana and Chief Justice Dipankar Datta about the "insult and humiliation" meted to her by Justice SS Shinde while hearing a petition filed by her..While the Court was hearing the petition filed by the Maharashtra government challenging certain portions of the First Information Report (FIR) registered against former Home Minister Anil Deshmukh, Patil sought Court's audience. She then submitted that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe on which the FIR was lodged had been ordered on her written complaint with the Malabar Hill Police Station.She further submitted that through a precipe, she has asked for the present petition be heard by any other bench other than the Bench led by Justice Shinde as she had been "humiliated and insulted" by him during the hearing of her petition. .Though other Senior counsel present in the hearing reprimanded Patil for making such unfounded allegations, Justice Shinde expressed his regret if his "harsh words" had hurt Dr Patil."We consider this Court to be a family, lawyers and judges. Sometimes we enter into dialogue with the lawyers. Sometimes our words are stern. But if my words were harsh and hurt her, I am expressing regret," Justice Shinde said. Senior Advocates Rafique Dada and Darius Khambata, appearing for the Maharashtra government, admonished Dr Patil for the manner in which she was addressing the Court. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for CBI, also tried to reason with her to not make such allegations against the Bench especially since the court was showing magnanimity. .When Patil refused to concede, Justice NJ Jamadar from the Bench stepped in and asked Patil to listen to the Court first. Justice Shinde repeated his statement and Patil agreed to take back her complaint made before CJI Ramana and CJ Datta. .Patil was referring to the petition filed by her in the month of March seeking probe by the CBI into the allegations of malpractices against Deshmukh and former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh.She had also sought directions to the Police to take cognizance of the written complaint lodged by her in the Malabar Hill Police Station.The petition was heard by the Bench led by Justice SS Shinde on March 30, 2021.It was during that hearing that Justice Shinde had taken strong exception to her petition stating that it was replete with "copy pasted pleadings" and did not provide any clarity on her locus for invoking the extra-ordinary jurisdiction of the court..Bombay High Court pulls up petitioner for filing "copy-paste" petition to attract "cheap publicity" in Anil Deshmukh controversy.Meanwhile in the petition filed by Maharashtra government, Dada submitted that since the hearing cannot happen today, the statement made by CBI to not act on letters asking the State government to produce certain documents related to its investigation against Deshmukh, be extended till the next date of hearing. Mehta submitted that he was willing to extend CBI's statement to June 11, 2021 while the petition could be heard on June 10, 2021. Patil requested that the petition filed by Deshmukh also be heard along with the present petition as the cause of action in both petitions is a common FIR. The Bench conceded to the request and recorded CBI's statement, proceeding to list the matter for hearing on June 10, 2021 along with Deshmukh's petition.