Ex-CJI was aware of Raja influencing judge: SC judge

In an embarrassment to former Chief Justice of India (CJI) K G Balakrishnan, Supreme Court Judge H L Gokhale today contradicted his claim that he was not aware it was former communication minister A Raja who had tried to influence a Madras High Court judge in a criminal case.

Justice Gokhale, who was the chief justice of the Madras High Court then, said in his letter to Justice Balakrishnan, the then CJI, he had clearly referred to the name of Raja. Gokhale’s statement totally contradicts Balakrishnan’s claim that there was no mention of any Union minister in the report sent by Justice Gokhale on the Justice S Reghupathi episode.

“I regret to say 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 CJI. 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 Reghupathi over phone to influence him. With respect to this statement, I may point out that Reghupathi’s letter was already with him, and in the second paragraph thereof, 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 that had purportedly alleged Raja had tried to influence 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 Gokhale, and he sent me a report wherein nothing was mentioned about any Union minister, having made a telephonic talk with 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 Raja’s name. A division bench, comprising F M Ibrahim Khalifulla and 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.