New Delhi: Very easy to fling allegations, says CJI Chandrachud

New Delhi : "It is very easy to fling allegations and letters," an anguished Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud Thursday said while clarifying that the bail plea of AAP leader Satyendar Kumar Jain in a money laundering case was listed before a bench headed by Justice Bela M Trivedi as Justice A S Bopanna was unavailable due to illness. Justice Chandrachud made the remark in the context of an unsavoury row that has erupted in the top court after two senior members of the Bar-Dushyant Dave and Prashant Bhushan-wrote separate letters to him voicing their angst over "certain happenings" in the listing of cases and their reallocation to benches other than those that were supposed to hear them.

Earlier in the day, the CJI refused to allow the prayer made by senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for Jain, to adjourn the hearing of the former Delhi minister's petition by a bench headed by Justice Trivedi, saying the judge concerned will take the decision. "It is very easy to fling allegations and letters. There is a communication from the office of Justice (A S) Bopanna. Due to medical reasons, he did not resume duties after Diwali. He (Justice Bopanna) stated that all matters which were heard by him should not be kept as part-heard.

"Therefore this matter (bail plea of Jain) was assigned to Justice Trivedi who had last heard the matter. The reason why Justice Trivedi has to hear the matter is because there is an application for an extension of interim bail. I thought I would clarify it," the CJI said.

Justice Chandrachud expressed surprise and said it was strange on the part of a member of the bar to say that "I want this particular judge". Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who was there inside the courtroom, said the only way to deal with such "malicious" letters is to ignore them and not “dignify” them with a response. In the afternoon, the CJI referred to certain past orders of the bench comprising Justices A S Bopanna and Trivedi to drive home the point that it was Justice Bopanna who wanted Jain's case to be not treated as a part-heard matter. "The matter was ‘de part heard' on the instructions of Justice AS Bopanna. I am saying that any member of the Bar saying this particular judge should hear my case and no other judge...this cannot be so. Justice Bopanna had to proceed on medical leave...," he said.