The Supreme Court on Monday said its decision to transfer the bail application of activist Teesta Setalvad in the Gulbarg society embezzlement case to a new Bench was prompted by the recusal of a judge.
Supreme Court Registrar M. K. Hanjura told the media that news reports suggesting that the case was transferred from a Bench of Justices S. J. Mukhopadhaya and N.V. Ramana to that of Justices Dipak Misra and A.K. Goel at the behest of Chief Justice H.L. Dattu lacked “basis or substance.” He stressed that the case came to Justice Dipak Misra’s Bench after one of the judges in the Justice Mukhopadhaya Bench recused. He did not specify which of the two judges — Justice Mukhopadhaya or Justice Ramana — had sought recusal.
“Whatever has been done has been done at the direct recusal of one of the judges of the previous Bench,” Mr. Hanjura said.
The decision to change the Bench came to light on the eve of the bail hearing when the Supreme Court posted its cause list on its official website.
Justice Mukhopadhaya had granted Ms. Setalvad and her husband, Javed Anand, interim protection from arrest till February 19.
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