AIBA Chairman Urges CJI to Take Suo Motu Action on Complaint from West Bengal Judicial Officers

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 12th Sept. The Chairman of the All India Bar Association (AIBA) and former President of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), Senior Advocate Dr. Adish C Aggarwala, has urged the Chief Justice of India (CJI) to take suo motu action based on a letter from three judicial officers from West Bengal. The officers, serving in Diamond Harbour, South 24 Parganas district, have raised serious concerns about their safety following an alarming incident on September 9, 2024.

In their letter, the officers, residing in the ‘Judges Abasan’ quarters, reported that a police officer from Diamond Harbour had directed guards to allow two individuals into the premises at an inappropriate hour to disconnect the power supply. This event, said Dr. Aggarwala, poses a grave threat to the independence of the judiciary and could be seen as an attempt to intimidate judicial officers.

Dr. Aggarwala, who is also the former Vice Chairman of the Bar Council of India, called on the CJI to take suo motu cognizance of the situation, stressing the need to protect the integrity of the judicial system. Suo motu action would allow the judiciary to initiate legal proceedings on its own, considering the severity of the allegations.

The judicial officers said that the incident might be linked to adverse rulings they had made in cases under the POCSO Act, raising suspicions of retaliation. They expressed fears for their safety in the official quarters and stated that they believed the event was an attempt to pressure them into delivering favorable judgments in future cases.

Dr. Sukanta Majumdar, Union Minister of State for Education and Development of North-Eastern Region, also wrote to the Union Minister for Law and Justice, Arjun Ram Meghwal, expressing concern over the matter. He described it as a breakdown of law and order in West Bengal and called for strict action against those responsible, including the police officer involved.

Dr. Aggarwala underscored the broader implications of the incident, warning that failure to act swiftly could set a dangerous precedent, undermining judicial independence in West Bengal. He emphasized the need for the judiciary to take immediate steps to protect judicial officers from external threats, ensuring they can perform their duties without fear.

Copies of the letter have been forwarded to the Prime Minister, Home Minister, Law Minister, and Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court for further action.