Katju clarifies on timing of corruption allegations

Says that the entire episode came to mind while writing about his experiences as Chief Justice of Madras High Court

Press Council of India chairman Markandey Katju on Tuesday sought to put to rest questions about the timing of his article on the >continuation of a “corrupt” judge in the Madras High Court despite an adverse Intelligence Bureau report by stating that the entire episode came to mind while writing about his experiences as Chief Justice of that court.

In a post titled ‘Some Questions for Justice Lahoti’ that he posted on his >blog ‘Satyam Bruyat’ on Tuesday morning, Mr. Justice (retd) Katju said: “Some people have commented about the timing of my statement. What happened was that some Tamilians had commented on Facebook that I am posting several matters on my Facebook post, so I should also post some of my experiences in Madras High Court. Then I started posting about my experiences there, and it was at [that] time I remembered this experience too, and posted it.’’

The list of his recent blogs shows that he wrote about ‘My Experiences as Chief Justice of Madras High Court’ on July19. This was followed up the next day with ‘How a corrupt Judge continued in the Madras High Court’; kicking up a political storm that rocked Parliament and has once again brought the Collegium system under the scanner.

Mr. Justice Katju’s questions to the former Chief Justice of India R. C. Lahoti are essentially a repetition of what he dwelt upon in his July 20 blog. This time Mr. Justice Katju has framed them as specific questions to the former CJI in view of his statement that he has never done anything wrong. “He has not gone into any specifics, so let me put him some specific questions,’’ wrote Mr. Justice Katju.

Justice Katju's questions to Justice Lahoti—> Is it not a fact that it was Mr. Justice Katju who brought the corruption charges against the said additional judge to the former CJI’s notice and asked for an IB enquiry —> Is it not a fact that Mr. Justice Lahoti had such a probe ordered —> Is it not a fact that the IB report found the said additional judge to be corrupt —> Is it not a fact that the issue was referred to the Supreme Court Collegium which recommended to the Government not to extend the term of the additional judge. —> Whether Mr. Justice Lahoti, without consulting the Collegium, then recommended a year’s extension for the additional judge; and why was such a recommendation made