Charges against ex-CJs trigger row

Press Council of India Chairman Justice (retd) Markandeya Katju on Monday triggered a controversy by accusing three former Chief Justices of India (CJs) of making “improper compromises” and  allowing a judge to continue in office in the Madras High Court about 10 years ago.

The issue also rocked Parliament.

Katju, a former Supreme Court judge, made the startling allegations against three former CJs—R C Lahoti, Y K Sabharwal and K G Balakrishnan—in an article in a daily, and followed it up with a blog post.

He claimed the unnamed additional judge of the Madras High Court was given an extension in 2004-05 at the behest of the UPA-I government following pressure from “a Tamil Nadu party”, which was part of the ruling alliance.

The AIADMK raised the issue in both Houses of Parliament and demanded a probe into the allegations, which they claimed involved their arch-rival, the DMK.

“I would like to ask the Law Minister to probe this serious matter and see what has actually happened. Who is that judge? Who in the DMK pressured the previous government?” said AIADMK member M Thambidurai in the LS.

Outside Parliament, BSP chief Mayawati demanded a probe into the allegations while DMK leader Kanimozhi and Congress leader Rajiv Shukla wondered why the issue was raked up after almost a decade.

The Congress and the BJP refused to comment on the issue from the party podium till Katju's claims were corroborated by all persons involved.

‘Baseless charge’

Former CJI Balakrishnan rejected the allegations as “completely baseless and not factually correct”. He said the confirmation of the judge was done by the Madras High Court, and he transferred him to Andhra Pradesh as there were allegations against the judge in question of being close to a political party.

Congress leader and the then Law Minister H R Bhardwaj said the judge in question was backed by a large group of MPs who complained about the opposition of Katju, who was then the Chief Justice of the Madras High Court.

Katju said he had sought a report from the Intelligence Bureau against the unnamed judge after he received complaints of graft against him.

The judge in question, hailing from the Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu, had during his tenure as district judge ordered the release of DMK supremo M Karunanidhi in 2001 and passed strictures against the then state government for the midnight arrest of the former chief minister.

Katju claimed that despite an adverse IB report, the judge was given an extension as additional judge of the Madras High Court and later made a permanent judge.

“Everything is a matter of record. I have never done anything wrong in my life,” a news channel quoted former CJI Lahoti as saying.