Medical College Scam: CJAR pays 25 lakh fine for the benefit of lawyers impacted by lockdown

Non-governmental organisation, Campaign for Judicial Accountability and Reforms (CJAR) has paid the fine of Rs. 25 lakh imposed on it by the Supreme Court in 2017 and has moved the top court seeking condonation of delay in payment of same. .The fine was imposed after CJAR had filed a petition seeking investigation by a Special Investigation Team into the medical college scam. The NGO had preferred that petition after a First Information Report (FIR) was registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in September 2017 "regarding a criminal conspiracy to influence the outcome of a case pending in the Supreme Court"..Medical College Bribery Scam: Supreme Court dismisses Curative Petition by CJAR, costs of Rs. 25 lakh remains.The court had dismissed CJAR's petition in December 2017 while also imposing a fine of Rs. 25 lakh on the NGO. .CJAR has stated in its current application that it had crowdfunded a total of Rs. 11 lakh. However, a meeting of the working committee of the organisation was held to decide on payment of the remaining amount. .The application states that "despite the unfairness of order" imposing the fine, CJAR has decided to pay the amount in full as the money would go to the Supreme Court Bar Association Welfare Fund and would be used for the benefit of lawyers impacted due to COVID-19 lock down and consequent shut down of courts..The application has not only urged court to condone the delay in payment of the fine but also "recall the order of exemplary costs" imposed on the NGO as it impairs the reputation of some very distinguished people "who are unblemished in any way.".It has also been pointed out that though CJAR's plea was dismissed as frivolous, the CBI, in fact, went on to chargesheet the medical college officers and retired High Court judge, Justice IM Quddusi and on the basis of the chargesheet a special CBI court took cognizance of the case in July 2019.."Conspiracy into which petitioner organisation sought an investigation subsequently led to the arrest and chargesheeting of the retired High Court judge and of the medical college owners and middlemen. Despite these various developments, applicant body having no funds or bank account was asked to pay exemplary fine of 25 lakh,"says the application..A Justice AM Khanwilkar led bench will hear the plea on November 4..Follow Bar and Bench channel on WhatsAppDownload the Bar and Bench Mobile app for instant access to the latest legal news.