CJAR urges CJI Khehar to reveal action taken against CV Nagarjuna Reddy J

The Campaign for Judicial Accountability and Reforms (CJAR) has penned a letter to Chief Justice of India JS Khehar requesting him to reveal the action taken against Justice CV Nagarjuna Reddy of the High Court of Judicature at Hyderabad..Justice Reddy was embroiled in a controversy last year, wherein allegations of nepotism, abuse of office and physical assault of a dalit judge were levelled against him..It was CJAR that brought the allegations to light, in a letter to former Chief Justice of India TS Thakur. According to that letter, Justice Reddy forced Rama Krishna, then a magistrate, to remove his brother’s name from a dying declaration recorded by him in a case. It was further alleged that the magistrate was summoned by Justice Reddy and his brother, who proceeded to physically assault him and abuse his caste..Pursuant to CJAR’s original letter, Justice Thakur had appointed Justice Ranjan Gogoi to preliminarily look into the matter. The latest letter states that Justice Gogoi had submitted a report indicting Justice Reddy, calling for a more thorough investigation by a three-member committee..Highlighting the fact that the process had not been initiated yet, the letter states,.“If the indictment in clear and categorical then Justice Nagarjuna Reddy should be asked to resign immediately, and if he does not, to seek his impeachment. This was done in the case of Justice Soumitra Sen of the Calcutta High Court, whose impeachment was recommended by Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan..However if the indictment is not categorical and Justice Gogoi has asked for further enquiry through a three judges committee, then a three judges committee should be appointed.”.Signed by Convenor Prashant Bhushan, the letter concludes by stating that the delay in taking action and the lack of transparency in doing so has led to suspicions that “things are being brushed under the carpet”. CJAR has asked for a copy of Justice Gogoi’s report and to be informed of the action taken thus far..Back in December last year, an impeachment motion had been moved by sixty-one Rajya Sabha parliamentarians against Justice Reddy..Pursuant to that, Justice Reddy wrote to the CJI and the Chief Justice of the High Court Ramesh Ranganathan requesting them to allow him to go on leave pending the completion of an investigation. However, the petition, which was submitted to Vice-President Hamid Ansari, failed after 19 signatories withdrew. As a consequence, the judge continued to serve at the High Court..Then, in May this year, a fresh plea was signed by sixty Rajya Sabha members to initiate impeachment proceedings against the judge. According to a report in the Hindu, Vice-President Ansari had admitted the motion and sought the advice of CJI Khehar..It will be interesting to see whether Justice Khehar chooses to take action in the matter before he retires next month. Justice Reddy does not retire until December next year..Read the letter:.Image of Justice Reddy taken from here.