Madras High Court orders vigilance probe into claim of Rs 50-lakh bribe for judge

New Delhi: The Madras High Court has referred to its vigilance cell an allegation that a senior counsel collected Rs 50 lakh from the client to pay it to the judge concerned to pass a favourable order in a criminal case.

Justice M Nirmal Kumar, upon the receipt of a communication from the Ministry of Law and Justice on behalf of All India Lawyers’ Association for Justice (AILAJ), recused to hear the criminal petitions filed by N Ganesh Agrawal and Naresh Prasad Agarwal in respect of proceedings pending before Special Judge for CBI Cases at Chennai.

"In view of specific allegations contained in the representation given by All India Lawyers Association for Justice (AILAJ), Chennai, this court finds that it is appropriate that the issue to be referred to the Vigilance Cell of the Madras High Court,'' the judge said in the order on February 5, 2026.

The judge further said, this court is not inclined to hear this case.

"It is appropriate that the matter is placed before the Chief Justice for posting before an appropriate bench and also to issue appropriate directions to the Vigilance Cell to conduct enquiry and to take appropriate action in this regard,'' the bench said.

The court also shared the said communication with the Special Public Prosecutor, CBI and with senior counsel M Murali Kumaran appearing for R Gopinath.

It recorded that Murali Kumaran submitted that the allegations contained in the representation are totally false and he is ready to cooperate with any kind of enquiry in this regard.

The Special Public Prosecutor also submitted that this type of representation should not be entertained and such representation affects the dignity of the Court and therefore, stern steps to be taken to find the person behind such false representation and to take appropriate action.