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Business News/ Politics / Policy/  Katju allegations: Govt points to intervention by Manmohan Singh PMO
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Katju allegations: Govt points to intervention by Manmohan Singh PMO

Parliament adjourned as AIADMK demands probe; DMK's Karunanidhi calls allegations 'baseless'

Markandey Katju has alleged corruption against former Supreme Court chief justices regarding extension of tenure of an additional judge of Madras High Court at behest of DMK and UPA. Photo: MintPremium
Markandey Katju has alleged corruption against former Supreme Court chief justices regarding extension of tenure of an additional judge of Madras High Court at behest of DMK and UPA. Photo: Mint

Chennai: The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) during Manmohan Singh’s tenure had asked why the Supreme Court collegium had not recommended extension for a Madras High Court judge who was facing corruption charges after the collegium expressed its hesitation, law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said in Lok Sabha.

The Parliament had been disrupted over last two days over allegations made by former Supreme Court judge Markandey Katju for his corruption allegations against the judge, former chief justices of India and Dravida Munnetra Kazagham and United Progressive Alliance (UPA).

Giving details of the controversial case over which Parliament witnessed uproar over last two days, he said in 2003, Supreme Court collegium had “certain reservations" and had made some enquiries and decided that the case of this judge should not be taken up.

But later during United Progressive Alliance (UPA) rule, a clarification was sought by the PMO as to why he should not be recommended, Prasad said in the Lok Sabha.

The collegium again said he should not have been recommended at all, Prasad said about the case which was recently brought to light by former Supreme Court judge Markandey Katju.

Later, the Department of Justice in the Law Ministry wrote a note to the collegium following which it said that his case can be considered for some extension, Prasad said, adding the matter stood there thereafter. “...on 16 July 2005 to be precise, again a note went from the then Department of Justice with the approval of the then law minister indicating about certain sensitivity. Thereafter, a call was taken by the collegium that his case can be considered for some extension and he was made permanent," he said.

Prasad said the judge has since retired and is dead now. The judges of the collegium have also retired. Quoting Supreme Court’s observation in Shanti Bhushan case, he remarked the “clock cannot be put back".

Prasad’s response came after an uproar over the issue forced two adjournments of the Lok Sabha as agitated AIADMK members stormed the Well demanding that the name of the then DMK minister who “pressurised" the UPA government to confirm the appointment of controversial judge be made public.

The Rajya Sabha also saw disruption on the issue, with AIADMK and DMK members clashing on the matter when it assembled for the day leading to a brief adjournment.

The concern raised by the AIADMK members was well appreciated and there is imperative need to improve the system of judges appointment, Prasad said, adding the government was “quite keen" to appoint a National Judicial Commission for making such appointments.

Later in the day, DMK president M. Karunanidhi on Tuesday lashed out at Katju for his allegations on a Tamil Nadu judge, which has put his party under a cloud.

Karunanidhi accused him of acting under “indirect pressure".

Breaking his silence on the issue which has triggered a major controversy, the former Tamil Nadu chief minister questioned Katju’s motives in raking up a decade-old matter and described it as an attempt to “defame the judiciary" despite being a part of it for several years.

“He has been making some allegations for the past two days due to some indirect compulsions. After having been a judge for several years and rising up to the Supreme Court and now to level such allegations against the apex court chief justices themselves is only an attempt to defame the judiciary itself," Karunanidhi said in his remarks against Katju.

In a statement headlined “Katju’s dishonest comments strangulating the neck of judiciary", Karunananidhi hit out at Katju, Chairman of Press Council of India, saying he had made “unwarranted indirect reference to DMK".

He, however, skirted any reference as to whether his party, which was an ally of UPA for 10 years, had exerted pressure on the prime minister over the appointment of an additional judge of Madras High Court, as alleged by Katju.

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Published: 22 Jul 2014, 05:44 PM IST
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