‘Clear instances of corruption’: SC judge seeks action against Rajasthan HC acting Chief Justice

Supreme Court judge Justice Sandeep Mehta has urged Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant to appoint a Chief Justice (CJ) from another state to head the Rajasthan High Court, alleging serious administrative and judicial irregularities by its acting Chief Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma.

In three letters dated August 2, 10 and 17, Justice Mehta accused Justice Sharma of “maladministration”, “malpractices”, “nepotism” and “favouritism”. He also alleged that case listings were being manipulated to benefit influential litigants. The allegations are contained in the letters and have not been adjudicated.

Justice Mehta raises concerns over case listings

Justice Mehta said he had previously brought instances of cases being withdrawn from other benches and shifted to Justice Sharma’s court “without any justifiable cause” to the CJI’s notice.

He said the CJI had initially asked him to provide details but later told him there was no need to put the allegations in writing and assured him that “suitable action” would be taken.

“However, till date, the request to have a Chief Justice from another State in my parent High Court has met no positive response,” Justice Mehta wrote.

He also said complaints about Justice Sharma’s judicial functioning “prima facie, raise doubts on his integrity”.

‘Living proof’ of alleged favouritism

In his August 10 letter, Justice Mehta cited cases involving land disputes in Udaipur and a mining businessman as examples of what he described as “living proof” of Justice Sharma’s conduct.

In one matter, he alleged that appeals concerning “priceless lands” were shifted to a bench headed by Justice Sharma at Jaipur despite an earlier ruling on the jurisdiction of the principal seat at Jodhpur.

In another case, involving mining magnate Meghraj Singh, Mehta alleged that the Registry was “manipulated” to register the matter as a Special Appeal Writ. He also pointed to the condonation of a 457-day delay and an interim stay granted by the bench.

“These instances manifest brazen misuse of powers by the Acting Chief Justice Mr. S.P. Sharma in order to favour influential parties and smack of corruption,” Justice Mehta wrote.

Concerns over court administration

Justice Mehta’s August 17 letter also raised issues concerning the functioning of the high court and treatment of subordinate judicial officers.

He referred to allegations of vindictive action against a district judiciary officer and criticised the handling of a 40-court building in Jodhpur, which he said had been ready for about a year.

The CJI eventually inaugurated the building on August 15 after Justice Mehta and Supreme Court judge Justice Vijay Bishnoi requested him to do so.

Justice Mehta also criticised the organisation of an international conference in Jaipur, claiming that the participation of judges left the Jodhpur principal seat without a functional court for two days.

Push for a new Chief Justice

Justice Mehta said judges had approached him with complaints about Justice Sharma’s conduct.

“Numerous Judges of Rajasthan High Court have met me and expressed their anguish at the behaviour of Mr Justice SP Sharma, who frequently threatens his colleague Judges of retributive action including transfer claiming his closeness with Hon'ble the Chief Justice of India,” he wrote.

He has repeatedly urged the Collegium to appoint a Chief Justice from another high court and transfer Justice Sharma out of Rajasthan, saying, “Continued ignorance of the request is, in my opinion, wholly against the interest of the Institution.”

Justice Sharma has been serving as acting Chief Justice for more than 10 months.