Special Judge transferred after involvement in 'demand and acceptance of bribes for granting bail': Report

Delhi government's Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) earlier this year had asked for permission to investigate Special Judge in the Rouse Avenue Court for his alleged involvement in accepting bribes for granting bail.

As per a report by The Indian Express, on January 29, the ACB wrote to the Principal Secretary, Department of Law, Justice, and Legislative Affairs, after which the request was passed to the Delhi High Court, however due to lack of of "sufficient material", the request was turned down by the high court on February 14.

The report stated that along with the judge, the courts ahlmad was also allegedly involved in "demand and acceptance of bribes for granting bail to accused persons."

The team however was allowed to carry on with the investigation, and on May 16 ACB registered an FIR against the ahlmad.

The subject line of the letter was: "Regarding complaints received against officials of Rouse Avenue district courts, ahlmad and the Special Judge, along with audio recording of conversations."

The ACB noted that in 2023, they had registered a case against a GST officer, for "sanctioning GST refunds to fake/bogus firms in 2021."

16 people, including officer, advocates, CA, and transporters were arrested. Later when they filed for bail, their applications were considered, postponed and reserved for different dates, the publication reported.

The report stated that the ACB received an email complaint in December where a relative of the GST officer alleging the officials from the court have demanded for money. A bribe of Rs 85 lakh was demanded for bail and Rs 1 crore for others.

ACB wrote that the relative said the bail application was delayed after allegedly refusing to pay the money,.

"Subsequently, they got relief from the Delhi High Court and were approached by one of the accused, allegedly threatening that the judge concerned would do everything adverse within his powers to prosecute her," the ACB wrote, as per the report by The Indian Express.

"He asked her to withdraw her application from the HC, pay Rs 1 crore, and she would be granted bail," it further mentioned.

ACB noted that there is a "serious misconduct" in this bribe acceptance case.

"The alleged involvement of court staff (and) the role attributed to the special judge raise grave concerns regarding the integrity of judicial proceedings in this case," it said as reported by the publication.

On February 14, Registrar (Vigilance) of the Delhi High Court, noted that there is not enough material against the judge to prove his involvement in the bribery case, following which, in May the ACB filed a case under Prevention of Corruption Act against the court ahlmad, mentioning the Registrar (Vigilance) reply.

The ahlmad filed for anticipatory bail where the advocate stated that "ACB filed a false fabricated FIR," and "tried to frame the Special Judge."

Chief Public Prosecutor however opposed the bail of the ahlmad, saying that the ahlmad was "prime offender" and likely to "tamper evidence".

On May 22 the ahlmad's bail application was rejected.