I am surprised at the statement of Justice Markandey Katju giving Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa a clean chit for “not interfering with the judiciary” (“Jayalalithaa never interfered with judicial functions, says Katju,” July 20). But much need not be read into the Facebook update of the retired judge, when the Supreme Court, in a judicial order passed while transferring her case to Bangalore in 2003, had given a detailed finding on her interference and subversion of the judicial process. Has Justice Katju intentionally overlooked this or conveniently omitted it?
Senior BJP leader Yashwant Sinha, in his autobiography, has recalled his meeting with Ms. Jayalalithaa when she gave him a note written by her which had the list of cases pending against her. The note was meant for the perusal of the Prime Minister. If that was not political interference, then I’m not sure what is. Instead, Justice Katju has recalled oblique and vague references to the “other party.”
R. Shunmugasundaram,Chennai
