SC refuses urgent hearing of plea on Justice Kurian Joseph's interview

The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to give an urgent hearing to a plea seeking an investigation into retired apex court judge Justice Kurian Joseph's recent interview to a national daily.

Lawyer Shashank Deo, who filed the petition, mentioned before a three-judge bench of the top court, headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi, that an investigation should be conducted into the interview given by Justice Joseph on January 12. Deo alleged that Justice Joseph said former CJI Dipak Misra was perceived to be influenced by external forces.

Deo told the top court that these type of interviews or statements given to media affect the very "credibility of the institution".

To this, CJI Gogoi said, "Credibility of the institution can be maintained by those who man it and not by newspaper reports".

Justice Joseph, who retired on November 29, was one of the senior Supreme Court judges who in a media briefing raised questions on the functioning of the apex court, saying there is no need for an outside intervention to solve the issue.