New Delhi: Justice J. Chelameswar, the number two judge in the Supreme Court, has written a letter to Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra taking exception to Karnataka high court Chief Justice Dinesh Maheshwari ordering a probe against P. Krishna Bhat, senior district and sessions judge whose elevation to the high court has been cleared twice by the Supreme Court collegium.
In his letter, Justice Chelameswar had questioned the propriety of Justice Maheshwari initiating an inquiry against Mr Bhat at the request of the Central government.
His letter also refers to the fact that the Narendra Modi government had stalled Mr Bhat’s elevation without offering any cogent reason.
The CJI’s office informed the Karnataka chief justice about the letter and the Chief Justice Maheshwari is understood to have conveyed to the Supreme Court that he is ending the probe. Though the apex court collegium has cleared Mr. Bhat’s elevation the Centre expressed reservations for his elevation and wrote to the high court Chief justice directly prompting Justice Maheswari to initiate a probe.
Justice Chelameswar while marking copies to all the Judges has objected to Justice Maheshwari’s decision to probe old allegations levelled against Mr. Bhat by a female judicial officer despite his predecessor absolving him after a thorough probe.
He also questioned the propriety of the Union law ministry writing directly to the high court Chief Justice for a probe against Mr Bhat by enclosing the woman’s complaint.
Justice Chelamewar’s letter also talked about judicial independence and how it was incumbent upon the judiciary to insulate itself from the executive.
