Tuesday 22 July 2014

Some questions for Justice Lahoti


Justice Lahoti, the former Chief Justice of India, when contacted by some media people about my statement which was published on my blog and in Times of India yesterday, generally remarked that he has never done anything wrong in his life. He has not gone into any specifics, so let me put him some specific questions :

1. Is it , or is it not, correct that I first wrote him a letter from Chennai, stating that there were serious allegations of corruption about an Additional Judge of Madras High Court, and therefore he ( Justice Lahoti ) should get a secret intelligence enquiry held against that Additional Judge,and thereafter I personally met Justice Lahoti at Delhi and again requested for a secret IB enquiry against the Additional Judge about whom I had received several complaints, and from several sources, that he was indulging in corruption ?

2. Is it, or is it not, correct that on my request Justice Lahoti ordered a secret IB enquiry against that Judge ?

3. Is it, or is it not correct, that a few weeks after I personally met him in Delhi and then returned to Chennai, he telephoned me from Delhi ( while I was at Chennai ) and told me that the IB, after thorough enquiry, gave a report that indeed the Judge was indulging in corruption ?

4. Is it , or is it not, correct that after receiving the adverse IB report against the Additional Judge, Justice Lahoti, who was then Chief Justice of India, called a meeting of the 3 Judge Supreme Court Collegium, consisting of himself, Justice Sabarwal, and Justice Ruma Pal, and the 3 Judge Collegium, having perused the IB report recommended to the Government of India not to extend the 2 year term of that Additional Judge ?

5. Is it , or is it not, correct that after that recommendation of the 3 Judge Collegium of the Supreme Court was sent to the Government of India, he ( Justice Lahoti ), on his own, without consulting his 2 other Supreme Court Collegium colleagues, wrote a letter to the Government of India asking the Government to give another 1 year term as Additional Judge to the concerned Judge ?

6. If indeed the IB reported, after an enquiry, that the Judge was indulging in corruption, why did he ( Justice Lahoti ) recommend to the Government of India to give that corrupt Judge another term of 1 year as Additional Judge in the High Court ?

Some people have commented about the timing of my statement. What happened was that some Tamilians had commented on Facebook that I am posting several matters on my Facebook post, so I should also post some of my experiences in Madras High Court. Then I started posting about my experiences there, and it was at time I remembered this experience too, and posted it.

18 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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    1. And your comment would be a textbook example for the idiom "shooting the messenger".

      Justice Katju's allegations are not going to go away if you throw enough abuses at him. He has given enough material details that a factual inquiry into the case appears entirely feasible---and given the seriousness of the allegations---necessary. The timing of his disclosure is immaterial: from his story it is clear that in the event he took all possible steps that he could take in his official capacity.

      I am not a big fan of all of Justice Katju's opinions. For example, I hardly agree with his comment on the intelligence of "90 percent" of Indians, or his contention that Sanjay Dutt deserves pardon only on the basis of acting in some very good films, and I found his behavior in the now infamous "Case of the Mathematics teacher" arrogant to the point of being abhorrent. On the other hand, I find myself in agreement with his views on the frivolity of various contempt of court charges, and his views on mediation. But even his staunchest opponents must see that in this case, his allegations need to be taken very very seriously, and that he ought to be commended for breaking all the "brotherhood clauses" to expose one of the most secretive and powerful institutions in the country: the higher judiciary.

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    2. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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    3. I was more than a bit surprised that my earlier comment, though critical, but hardly uncivil, was removed. Sad that a former judge has such little regard for a dissenting opinion. Wonder if he will let this one stay.

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  2. You are a brilliant man indeed.

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  3. good work though it's bit late but better.

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  4. It is regretted that some people and most of the medias are trying to "find out" the reason(s) as to why Justice Katju had "delayed" disclosing this high profile corruption. I feel sorry for them. Medias, especially, ought to know that had it been disclosed during UPA regime, the Govt. could get enough time to bury this issue (alike Coalgate files!) Justice Katju is intelligent enough to disclose this during a non-Congress regime. Salute to him.

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  5. Please continue the good work Justice Katju !

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  6. Respected Sir,

    identical to the Madras HC Judge is a case at Bombay High Court of Judge Shri V L Achilya, whose attempts to become HC Judge ended in failure till 18.10.2013 (the day he was appointed as HC Judge at Bombay.

    Very next day on 19.10.2013, the MPID Court initiated proceedings to evict me from flat and I was made homeless on 6.12.2013.

    EARLIER in 2005

    This Mr V L Achilya was Addl Sessions Judge at the MPID Court and at the instance of a Powerful accused this Judge had got me, my Wife and my Son arrested for having purchased property, which belonged earlier to this Powerful accused and was taken over by Banks and auctioned by Banks - i was auction purchaser.

    Complaints to Bombay High Court

    I had made complaints to High Court against V L Achilya - Inquiry was scuttled 2 days before CJ Swatentar Kumar was elevated to Supreme Court.

    Thereafter I had sought permission from new CJ Shri Mohit Kumar to prosecute this V L Achilya - Permission was denied without giving ANY REASON.

    On my complaint - that Judge and Investigation Officer were in Mobile Phone contact with absconder Accused ( Rajkumar Basantani ) Inquiry was conducted in 2005 - That Inquiry report they refused to give me - EVEN AFTER I FILED 2 CR Writ Petitions at Bombay High Court.

    Also numerous other persons have filed complaints against this Shri V L Achilya.

    My Twitter:

    # Judge Achilya given clean chit by 2 CJs-ILLEGALLYin 2005 he jailed me got my WifeNSon arrested

    http://ikchhugani.wordpress.com/2014/06/23/my-case/ …


    Hope you can investigate,

    With Regards

    Indur Chhugani 09820171571

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  7. Your account has been corroborated by another serving judge http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Another-ex-judge-backs-Justice-Katju-alleges-political-influence-in-high-court-appointment/articleshow/38820451.cms so indeed it seems you are speaking the truth & Lahoti DID do wrong

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  10. Mr. Katju,
    Delay may be condoned but you must be courageous enough to tell the name of the judge and the minister.

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  11. Sir,
    I think you are brave enough to sign my petition for Skill India (My suggestions to MODI) . You can sign it by clicking the below link. You can recommend some more measures for skill India.

    http://www.change.org/en-IN/petitions/sri-narendramodi-implement-my-suggestions-for-skill-india

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  13. कोई कुछ भी कहे। मैं कुछ मुद्दों पर भले ही आपसे इत्तेफाक न रखता हूँ लेकिन न्यायपालिका में भ्रष्टाचार उजागर करने के आपके खुलासे से पूरी तरह सहमत हूँ। 4th और 5th पॉइंट से स्पष्ट है कि जस्टिस लाहोटी पूरी तरह ईमानदार नहीं थे। वो एक तरफ आपकी बात मान रहे थे तो दूसरी ओर भ्रष्ट जज से सहानुभूति रखते थे।

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  14. Jus. Katju is a man of impeccable integrity. Pls answer directly to his question instead of raising trivial question of timing.

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  15. Sir. Keep up the good work. History will definitely remember you for very long time.

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