M A I N   N E W S

Chief Justice initiates probe
Lawyers to abstain from work today
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 23
Weeks after reports appeared in the media on the alleged involvement of High Court Judges in the PPSC scam, the Chief Justice has initiated an inquiry into the allegations. Dissatisfied with his claim, however, the members of the Punjab and Haryana High Court Bar Association today resolved to hand over a memorandum to the Governors of the two states on May 28, besides abstaining from work tomorrow.

The members have also decided to file a public interest litigation in the Supreme Court of India. Besides seeking investigation into the entire scam, they will also be asking for a probe into the dropping of names by an accused, in his confession before a magistrate, as reported in The Tribune today.

In a letter to the President of the High Court Bar Association, Mr Hawa Singh Hooda, High Court Chief Justice Mr Arun B. Saharya has written that he has taken up an inquiry into the reports published in the newspapers, casting aspersions on sitting High Court Judges, and certain other matters concerning the judiciary.

The Chief Justice has also reiterated his request to the Bar members to furnish specific information and cogent material which may be in their possession and would be of a great help in his probe.

Claiming that an “inquiry into the matter was not enough”, the members, in an extraordinary general house meeting held in the jam-packed Bar Association hall at about 12.45 pm, asserted that sufficient time had been given to the Chief Justice, but he had failed to act either on the administrative, or the judicial, side.

Referring to today’s front page report in The Tribune, the advocates asserted that the inquiry was indeed getting lopsided, diluted and even derailed as suggested. They also agreed that a cover-up exercise was underway. The fate of the case is evident even though the trial is yet to begin, the advocates insisted. “If a witness in the case has dropped 31 names, it simply means that he cannot be believed. Even the investigation agency cannot be trusted,” they maintained.

The investigation, some asserted, should be handed over to the Intelligence Wing of the Punjab Police and the Additional Director-General of Police (Vigilance), Mr A.P. Pandey, should be transferred out. Some wanted that the premier investigating agency should be asked to look into the allegations and initiate action against the guilty. “The Judges should be treated as common accused and should face the same consequences as ordinary men do,” they submitted. In the meantime, the advocates should stay away from the Court of the Chief Justice, they said. The “tainted Judges” should be transferred out, along with Judges with kith and kin working in the Advocate-General’s office. A mass signature campaign should also be launched and copies of the memorandum handed over to the Chief Justice of India, besides the country’s President, they demanded.

Loudspeakers were not required for today’s meeting. The sheer determination and enthusiasm in the speakers’ voices carried the message across the hall to 800-odd advocates reposing on the comfortable sofa sets, or standing behind these.

Their knuckles turned red as the speakers banged the podium while addressing almost double the number of lawyers as compared to the previous general house meeting. As a member doled out the names of the Judges allegedly involved in the scam — for the first time since the agitation started — the lawyers almost stood up from their seats and began clapping. They did not mind the time as the clock slowly ticked by. For the first time, perhaps, the meeting lasted well past 2.15 pm.

Addressing the gathering, Mr H.S. Gill asserted that their fight was not against any judge, or even the judiciary, but against corruption in the system. “We are fighting for the glory of the institution,” he added. Agreeing with him, Mr I.S. Balhara asserted that the mystery of the missing names should not be taken casually. “The Chief Minister should be asked to look into it,” he concluded.

Mr H.S. Nagra claimed that the inquiry should not be allowed to go haywire as PPSC Chairman Ravinderpal Singh Sidhu was capable of “purchasing justice”. “Nothing much can be expected from the magistrates also as they are directly under the High Court,” he explained.

Advocate Ripudaman Singh Roop insisted that the Chief Justice, overall in charge, should be “isolated”. Punjab’s former Deputy Advocate-General Rupinder Khosla agreed with him. “His Court should be boycotted,” he suggested. “Strike should be the last resort”.

Mr Surinder Lamba added that “if nothing else, the Chief Justice should have withdrawn work from the Judges named in the scam”. Warning the advocates to be careful of the “spokesmen of the judges”, he asserted: “Such lawyers should be physically thrown out of the hall”. Former High Court Bar Association President Ms Daya Chaudhary asked the lawyers to be “prepared for sacrifices”. Bar Association President Hawa Singh Hooda, Vice-President Sukhjinder Singh Behl, Secretary Sanjeev Manrai, along with Presidents of several District Bar Associations were present during the meeting.

“Three cheers for The Tribune”

The members of the Punjab and Haryana High Court Bar Association on Thursday appreciated the front-page report appearing in The Tribune on the PPSC scam. “Editor of The Tribune, Mr Hari Jaisingh, has gone deep into the matter and deserves all appreciation for it,” said advocate Mr H.S. Nagra.

Advocate Bhim Sen Sehgal thanked The Tribune for “launching a crusade against corruption, particularly corruption in the judicial system”. “Next time you hold a seminar on judicial accountability, please do not call a retired Judge. Ask Mr Jaisingh to preside over the function”, he concluded.