SC: Judges under threat, CBI, IB & cops doing nothing

SC: Judges under threat, CBI, IB & cops doing nothing

7.8.2021 

The Supreme Court on Friday said trial court judges, especially those dealing with cases involving gangsters and high-profile people, are most vulnerable to external threats and bristled at the inaction of the CBI, Intelligence Bureau and the police in countering the threats to create a conducive atmosphere for judges to do justice without fear or favour, reports Dhananjay Mahapatra.

A bench of Chief Justice N V Ramana and Justice Surya Kant said, “In criminal cases involving gangsters and high-profile persons, when the accused do not get expected orders from the courts, they start maligning the judiciary. Unfortunately, this is a new trend developing in this country.”

Don’t scare judges with huge files: SC

The Supreme Court on Friday asked advocates not to file voluminous petitions to ‘terrorise’ the judges and risk getting the hearing adjourned. P 16

Ramana: CBI, IB not helping judiciary at all

A situation is created where the judges do not feel free to make a complaint. Even if the judges complain to the district judge, Chief Justice of the HC or the CJI, and a complaint is forwarded to the police or the CBI, they do not respond. They do not think it is a priority issue, the bench said.

“The IB, CBI and police are not helping the judiciary at all. I am making this statement with some sense of responsibility. It is a serious issue,” the CJI said and sought attorney general K K Venugopal’s assistance to chalk out a mechanism.

Venugopal gave an even more startling account of threats given to trial judges hearing cases involving gangsters and powerful persons. “I am told that in many cases, a magistrate or sessions judge, who is about to take up a case involving a gangster or a powerful person, gets a call saying that his daughter is going to such and such school, in a car with such and such number. Between justice and daughter’s safety, the judge adjourns the case by six months. We must look into those cases which are getting adjourned time and again. So far as states are concerned, each must form a protection group for the judiciary.”