New Delhi: Under fire for his allegations of political interference in judicial appointments, Press Council of India Chairman and former Supreme Court judge Justice Katju has responded to former Chief Justice of India RC Lahoti's query.
Justice Lahoti had questioned Katju's timing and motives about the allegations.
Justice Katju said that he took over as the Chief Justice of Madras High Court in November 2004 but the elevation of the Madras district judge, who allegedly indulged in corruption, took place in 2003 and it was Katju's predecessor who had recommended his elevation.
Katju claimed that when he learnt of the corrupt process through which the judge was promoted, he wrote to Lahoti and it was on Katju's request that a secret Investigation Bureau (IB) enquiry was ordered.
Justice Katju once again questioned the reason behind the accused judge's elevation when the three-judge collegium of the Supreme Court recommended that the judge should be discontinued.
Katju also alleged that Lahoti told him that the judge was elevated as the 'sensitivities' of the government needed to be kept in mind.
Justice Katju on July 21 had alleged that a District Judge in Tamil Nadu was elevated to an Additional Judge of the Madras High Court despite charges of corruption against him. Rejecting Katju's allegations, Justice Lahoti said, "Everything is a matter of record. Whatever I have done or not done is all on record with reasons. I have never done anything wrong in my life." His allegations had led to a storm and uproar in the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha.
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