Supreme Court Special Hearing Over Accusation Against Calcutta High Court Judge

The Supreme Court will be hosting a special hearing following the evolving situation regarding an internal dispute within the Calcutta High Court, as first reported by Reader Wall. This extraordinary event unfolds after a notable objection lodged by Calcutta High Court Judge Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay against one of his colleagues on the bench.

The Accusation and the Implications

In a rare act of public dissent within the justice system, Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay has openly questioned the integrity of his fellow judge, Justice Soumen Sen. The accusation stems from a perceived act of partisanship where Justice Sen presided over a panel that undermined a probe led by Justice Gangopadhyay into medical admission irregularities in Bengal.

The division bench lead by Justice Sen issued a hold on a prior order by Justice Gangopadhyay which had directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to delve into claims of counterfeit caste certificates. Justice Gangopadhyay later disregarded his colleague’s stay order and mandated the CBI to carry on with the investigation.

Supreme Court Involvement

In his follow-up directive, Justice Gangopadhyay overlooked the division bench’s order and even sought the Supreme Court’s reconsideration of the cases overseen by Justice Sen, accusing him of siding with a political party. The formation of a panel of five Supreme Court judges to hear the case underscores the severity of the issue.

Justice Gangopadhyay continued to challenge Justice Sen’s conduct, publicly debating why the latter still retains his post at the Calcutta High Court despite the Supreme Court Collegium’s recommendation for his transfer last year.

Revealing Internal Disputes

In his order, the controversial judge disclosed alleged private conversations amongst judges and claimed that Justice Sen has met with Justice Amrita Sinha before the recent court vacation to discuss political aspirations of certain individuals

Justice Sinha later reported to the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court, who subsequently brought the matter to the Chief Justice of India, according to Justice Gangopadhyay.

Previous Controversies

This is not the first time Justice Abhijeet Gangopadhyay is rubbing shoulders with the establishment. He was previously reprimanded by the Supreme Court for interacting with the press on cases he was ruling on.

A history of making statements construed as political commentary instead of judicial temperance also haunts Justice Gangopadhyay, leading to the ruling Trinamool Congress party’s demands for his resignation from the judiciary to pursue a political career.