In an embarrassment to former CJI K G Balakrishnan, Supreme Court Judge H L Gokhale today contradicted his claim that he was not aware that it was former Union Telecom Minister A Raja, who had tried to influence a Madras High Court judge in a criminal case.
In a statement, Justice Gokhale, who was the chief justice of the Madras High Court at that time, said that in his letter to Justice Balakrishnan, the then CJI, he had clearly referred to the name of Raja.
Justice Gokhale's statement totally contradicts Justice Balakrishnan's claim that there was no mention of any Union Minister in the report sent by Justice Gokhale, then High Court Chief Justice, on Justice S Reghupathi episode.
"I regret to say that the allegations are absolutely incorrect," Balakrishan had said last week referring to news reports that he had suppressed a letter purportedly written by Justice Reghupathi to him when he was Chief Justice of India.
In a statement today, Justice Gokhale said, "The former CJI has stated in his press conference that in my letter I did not mention the name of any Union Minister having talked to Justice Reghupathi over phone to influence him.
"With respect to this statement I may point out that Justice Reghupathi's letter was already with him and in the second paragraph thereof justice Reghupathi had specifically mentioned the name of Raja.
"I had no personal knowledge about the incident and observations in my reply wherein are in conformity with the contents of Justice Reghupathi's," Justice Gokhale said.
News reports had alleged that Balakrishan had suppressed that letter which had purportedly alleged that Raja had tried to influence Justice Reghupathi which cast aspersion on him (CJI) that he had committed dereliction of duty.
"When this incident was reported in the media, I sought for a report from the then Chief Justice of Madras High Court Justice Gokhale and he sent me a report wherein nothing was mentioned about any Union Minister having made a telephonic talk with Justice Reghupathi to influence him," Balakrishan had said.
The Madras High Court had on December 7 suspended from the bar a top lawyer who was allegedly involved in an attempt to influence a judge taking the name of Raja.
A division bench comprising Justice F.M.Ibrahim Khalifulla and Justice M.M.Sundaresh, had said the status of R K Chandramohan, a member and subsequently as Chairman of the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Pondichery, shall stand suspended forthwith.
He should not not be permitted to function as such pending disciplinary action by the Bar Council of India, the bench had said.
Disposing of a petition by a lawyer, the Bench had appended a portion of a letter written by Justice Reghupati, who had reported that Chandramohan had entered his chamber last year and pleaded that the case of a father and a son, accused in a marks scandal case in Puducherry, for anticipatory bail be considered favourably as they were "family friends" of Raja.
The lawyer handed over his mobile phone to the judge, saying that the "union minister is on the line to have a talk with me".
"I discouraged such conduct of Mr. Chandramohan and told him that the case would be disposed of in accordance with law, if listed before me," Justice Reghupati had said in his letter of July 7, 2009 to the then Chief Justice of India.
Justice Reghupati, who has since retired, had in his letter, complained about Chandramohan's "outburst and uncontrollable" behaviour.
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