MADURAI: The Additional District and Sessions Court I, Madurai, has overturned the conviction of four advocates who were sentenced by the Judicial Magistrate No V, Madurai, for allegedly insulting the judicial officer and interrupting court proceedings.

The case concerned an incident on January 20, 2026, when the Judicial Magistrate No V was conducting proceedings in an open court. The advocates allegedly insulted the Magistrate and disrupted the proceedings.

The trial Court had fined them Rs 100 each and ordered one week’s simple imprisonment if they failed to pay the fine.

The advocate filed an appeal. Allowing the appeal, the Additional District and Sessions Judge I, S John Sundarlal Suresh, set aside the conviction and sentence imposed on the four advocates under Section 267 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

The court also directed the refund of the fine.

The Sessions Judge examined the CCTV footage of the proceedings and held that there was no evidence to establish that the advocates had intentionally insulted the magistrate or caused interruption to the judicial proceedings. The judge also noted that one advocate had apologised in open court and all four had expressed regret through separate affidavits.