Law Kumar Mishra | Team TrickyScribe: In a dramatic turn of events that could send tremors through the hallowed halls of Indian judiciary, the Ministry of Law and Justice has stirred from its slumber. It has acted upon a letter penned by Justice (Retired) Rakesh Kumar—erstwhile judge of the Patna and Andhra Pradesh High Courts—demanding a CBI inquiry into none other than the former Chief Justice of India, Dr. DY Chandrachud. The matter has now been referred to the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), which is empowered to initiate appropriate action.
Letter to the President: A Call for Judicial Cleansing
Justice Kumar’s missive was addressed to the President of India, Droupadi Murmu, bearing a tone that was as forthright as it was forceful. The former judge urged Her Excellency to order a Central Bureau of Investigation probe under Section 17(A) of the Prevention of Corruption Act. The allegation: gross impropriety and misuse of official position by the country’s erstwhile judicial supremo. Such charges, rare in their severity and almost unprecedented in recent memory, have sent ripples through the corridors of power.
The Teesta Sitalwad Controversy: A Judicial Flashpoint
At the heart of Justice Kumar’s allegations lies the curious case of Teesta Arun Setalvad—a name that evokes strong sentiments in both legal and political spheres. According to the former judge, the Chief Justice had convened a special bench, and later a larger bench, on July 1, 2023—during the Supreme Court’s summer recess—to deliberate upon Setalvad’s bail plea. Ironically, this plea had been dismissed by the Gujarat High Court earlier the very same day. Justice Kumar contends that such judicial urgency was neither customary nor justified, hinting at a possible mala fide intent.
“Not Judicious, but Extraneous”: The Gravest Accusation
In a tone tinged with indignation, the retired judge further alleged that the then CJI was not guided by jurisprudence, but rather by “extraneous considerations.” He emphasized the serious nature of the charges against Ms. Setalvad, pointing to arguments made by Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, who told the apex court that there had been an alleged conspiracy to destabilize a democratically elected government in Gujarat. For Justice Kumar, the choice to constitute an extraordinary bench on a matter already decided by a High Court on the same day was, at best, puzzling and, at worst, suspicious.
Whispers of Accountability, or Winds of Retaliation?
As the government machinery begins to churn slowly in response to Justice Kumar’s letter, many questions arise. Is this the dawn of a new era of accountability in the higher judiciary, or the beginning of a politically charged tug-of-war? Whatever be the case, the eyes of the nation—and indeed, the judiciary—are now fixed on the unfolding drama, where law meets power, and shadows of the past challenge the halo of the bench.
Total Views: 4,59,796
