Supreme Court Judge Faints During Nirbhaya Rape-Murder Case Hearing

Justice A S Bopanna, while rising, said that the order in the matter will be passed in-chamber. Justice Ashok Bhushan was also part of the three-judge bench hearing the matter.

India's supreme court building is pictured in New Delhi. FILE PIC/AFP.

New Delhi: Supreme Court judge Justice R Banumathi fainted in the courtroom on Friday while dictating the order on the Centre' plea seeking separate hanging of the four death row convicts in the Nirbhaya gang rape and murder case. Justice Banumathi soon regained consciousness and was taken to the chamber by other judges on the dais and Supreme Court staff. It was a moment of chaos in the courtroom, as Justice Banumathi, who appeared to be comfortable on the judge's chair, suddenly fainted, momentarily sending shivers among the people assembled in the court for the Nirbhaya hearing. The woman counsels representing the accused in the matter shouted for help and asked the female security staff to rush to the dais to help the judge. Soon, Justice Banumathi regained consciousness and she was taken to the judges' chamber by the security staff. Later, she was taken to the in-house dispensary on the premises of the court on a wheelchair. Justice A.S. Bopanna, while rising, said that the order on this matter would be passed in-chamber. Justice Banumathi was heading a three-judge bench. The other judges on the bench comprised Justices Ashok Bhushan and Justice Bopanna. It is learnt that Justice Banumathi had high fever and apparently a strong medicine had an adverse reaction on her health.