CJ hails 'anti-corruption judge' Justice Sudhindra Rao

The High Court of Karnataka bid farewell to Justice N K Sudhindra Rao who attained superannuation on Friday.

A judge who sent former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa and several officials to judicial custody on charges of corruption while officiating as a special judge of Lokayukta court, Justice Sudhindra Rao on Friday said, “Right from student days, casteism and corruption have been my strong enemies and I never left a single opportunity to express my dissent.”

Wishing Justice Rao a warm farewell, Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi said Justice Sudhindra Rao was popularly known and referred to as anti-corruption judge and dealt with many high profile cases involving offences of corruption.

“Justice Sudhindra Rao had a distinguished career in the judiciary for approximately 19 years. As the judge of this court for nearly five years, Justice Sudhindra Rao has served the institution with utmost dedication. He has authored numerous important judgments, many of which have been reported in law journals. His knowledge of law and a strong sense of justice are reflected in his judgments and orders,” he said.

Replying to the farewell programme, Justice Sudhindra Rao recalled his journey as an advocate from Kolar district. Justice Rao said he was the first generation advocate in the family and also a first graduate. He thanked advocates’ association in KGF and advocates in Bangarpet for their cooperation.

“I remember one promise which I had made on June 26, 2002, when my parent association gave an affectionate farewell, that I will try to uphold the name of the association and in case if it is maligned I will not remain in this service and I will come back. I hope I have tried my level best to reach the expectations,” he said.

Justice Sudhindra Rao was appointed as a high court judge on February 18, 2017, and was made a permanent judge in November, 2018. When he was officiating as a special judge of Lokayukta court in Bengaluru in 2011, he had sent Yediyurappa, his then cabinet colleague S N Krishnaiah Setty to judicial custody in cases pertaining to alleged illegal denotification of land.