The confusion created by the incident, which took place at around 11.30 am, was cleared only when the police overpowered the woman and took her into custody. She was later given a bail of Rs 10,000 failing which she would be kept in judicial custody till April 1, when her contempt case will come up for hearing. Interestingly, she has asked that the same bench of Justice Sawant and Justice Upasani hear her contempt case.

While the police kept a tight lip on the case refusing to let the press talk to the woman, court sources said that the woman is disturbed. She apparently had a matrimonial case in the court where her child's custody was given to the father. It is not known which court decided her case, since none of the judges on the bench couldrecognise her.

Nonetheless, when Halbe quietly entered court no 54 on the second floor of the High Court where the regular cases were on, she removed her right shoe, a no 4 light-blue canvas shoe, and hurled it at the bench while shouting in English that all judges were corrupt. Nobody was hurt and she was immediately taken into custody.

According to her, there was only a 13-year-old son in her house at Saatbangla, Andheri.

Meanwhile, the public prosecutor Vijaya Tahilramani and the state advocate general C J Sawant read out to the division bench, Chief Justice of India A S Anand's order on a similar case of contempt that took place in his court in February this year. Nand Lal Balwani, an advocate of Mumbai had thrown a shoe at the division bench of the Chief Justice and was sentenced to four months imprisonment.

In his order, Chief Justice Anand had directed that due notice is to be given to the accused in a contempt case. The accused is allowed to file an affidavit in reply before a sentence ispronounced.

Public prosecutor Tahilramani then spoke to Halbe and informed the court that she was agreeable to the bench deciding her contempt case. The bench then passed an order whereby a notice was issued to her. She was given a bail of Rs 10,000 and her matter was posted to April 1. In the event she was unable to furnish a bail, she was to be kept in judicial custody till April 1, the court observed.