Dramatic scenes unfolded on 2nd February at Patna High Court as an attorney named Shiva Pujan Jha attempted to leap from the court building after his motion for a stay of the proceedings was turned down. He is accused of cruelty against his spouse under section 498A of the Indian Penal Code. The section addresses matters where a married woman’s husband or his family members harass or abuse her.
The lawyer tried to obtain relief by filing a petition, but the court denied it and also imposed a penalty. As a result, he tried to jump from the court building. However, the court personnel intervened swiftly to prevent a catastrophic outcome. He suffered minor wounds after falling on a balcony shed. There was quite a commotion in the courtroom due to the drastic action.
The lawyer’s wife filed the initial lawsuit against him alleging that he had harassed and mistreated her. This is a severe accusation with substantial legal ramifications. He submitted a quashing request at the Patna High Court in hopes of clearing his name and obtaining relief from these accusations. The single-judge bench of Justice Satyavrat Verma, however, did not accept his petition. His grief was exacerbated by the court’s imposition of a hefty penalty on top of the rejection of his application.
The advocate didn’t want to accept the one-time settlement of Rs two and a half lakh mandated by the court after which he took the extreme measure. Many in attendance recorded a video that has already gone viral on social media. The lawyer can be heard asking, “Why are you threatening me? Make any decision you want,” in the footage.
In the video, people can be seen requesting him to get down and not jump. Some people also offered him a rope to help him get off. They also appealed to him not to defame the High Court. However, he still jumped but fell on the shed of the entrance. From there he was later rescued.