Being judge doesn't permit arrogance: Karnataka High Court on road rage incident

The Karnataka High Court slammed a judicial officer for her alleged conduct in a road rage incident, observing that CCTV footage prima facie showed behaviour "wholly unbecoming" of a judge and possible misuse of official position to initiate criminal proceedings against citizens.The court said a perusal of the video, including the footage now circulated on social media, would clearly indicate that the judicial officer had behaved in a manner totally "unbecoming" of the office she holds.The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday pulled up a judicial officer over her conduct in an alleged road rage incident, saying CCTV footage prima facie showed behaviour that was "wholly unbecoming" of a member of the judiciary.The court also raised concerns over the alleged misuse of official position to initiate criminal proceedings against citizens.Justice M Nagaprasanna made the observations while hearing a petition filed by the accused. He viewed CCTV footage of the incident, which allegedly showed principal civil judge and JMFC, Gayathri of Malur, and her husband in a verbal altercation with two-wheeler riders after they overtook the couple's private car.According to the court, the complainant, a judicial officer, was travelling in her private car with her husband when Accused Nos. 1 and 2, who were on a two-wheeler, overtook them. "It transpires that the ego of the judicial officer or her husband is hurt. They chase the vehicle, i.e., the two-wheeler, from their car, and stop them and get down to a squabble. The squabble is captured on the CCTV. This court has viewed the footage of the CCTV, which involves the judicial officer with her husband indulging in quarrel," Justice Nagaprasanna said.The State Public Prosecutor submitted that only the two accused persons were travelling on the two-wheeler. However, at the instance of the judicial officer, a 70-year-old man, the third accused, was also taken into custody. "It is surprising as to how, in the offences so laid against these petitioners, they were taken into custody merely because the complainant was a judicial officer. It would not mean that the citizens are treated in the manner at the dictate of the said judicial officer," the order said.The court said a perusal of the video, including the footage now circulated on social media, would clearly indicate that the judicial officer had behaved in a manner totally "unbecoming" of the office she holds.Justice Nagaprasanna observed that the office of a judge or judicial officer is not one that can be worn within the courtroom and discarded outside it. The court said judicial office is a continuing public trust, and a judicial officer's conduct outside the courtroom can either erode or sustain public confidence in the institution.It further noted that every act of a judicial officer in the discharge of judicial duties is not confined to the four walls of the court hall, but travels beyond when the interaction happens with the public."If the video is noticed, it prima facie clearly indicates that it is wholly unbecoming of a judicial officer to get down from the car and indulge in a quarrel with a common man who only did the crime of overtaking the car of a judicial officer," the court said, adding that "nothing can become a classic example, classic illustration of abuse of the office of the judicial officer".The court stayed further proceedings and investigation against the petitioners and directed the Registry to place the order before the Chief Justice for further action against the judicial officer.- EndsPublished By: India Today Web Desk Published On: Jul 30, 2026 14:14 IST