New Delhi, Dec 4 : In an unusual scene inside the Delhi High Court, a lawyer appeared with red tape stuck across his lips, claiming he had been repeatedly silenced midway by the Bench during earlier hearings.

As soon as both matters were called out, advocate R.K. Saini, representing the petitioner side, walked into the courtroom "leisurely with red stickfast tape on his lips".

Initially believing the advocate might have suffered injuries, a Bench of Justices Nitin Wasudeo Sambre and Anish Dayal asked him about the tape.

"It was informed by Mr. Saini that on the last two hearings, he was stopped midway by the Court during his arguments and as such he had placed those red tapes on his lips, symbolising that he had been silenced," recorded the order passed by the Justice Sambre-led Bench.

The incident occurred during the hearing of a long-pending writ petition and a related contempt petition concerning payment of compensation, listed before the Delhi High Court on Monday.

In an unusually sharp observation, the Justice Sambre-led Bench said that such conduct "is completely in poor taste and unexpected of a lawyer of the stature of Mr. Saini who, in our understanding, has standing of more than 25 years".

"This could have prompted us to pass appropriate orders against Mr. Saini, however, considering his standing, we have refrained ourselves from passing such an order," it added, placing on record their "strong displeasure" and terming his conduct unbecoming of an advocate.

The Delhi High Court noted that his earlier submissions had become "too lengthy and repetitive", leading it to request him to conclude so the government could respond.

During the hearing, the Justice Sambre-led Bench took note of the Delhi government's fresh proposal, including an enhanced compensation amount of Rs 5 lakh, conveyed in writing.

However, advocate Saini submitted that his client was not willing to accept the offer, "even if the State Government is willing to increase the amount of compensation".

After the city government sought time to file a detailed affidavit from senior officers in both the contempt case and the writ petition, the Delhi High Court granted it two weeks to submit its response, and gave the petitioner an additional two weeks to file a rejoinder upon receiving an advance copy. Both matters have been posted for further hearing on January 21, 2026.

/IANS