New Delhi: A group of lawyers from Chennai have expressed solidarity with the former Madras High Court Chief Justice V.K. Tahilramani amidst speculations of a CBI probe into her assets.
It has been learnt that Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi has told the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to take further action in accordance with the law on an Intelligence Bureau (IB) report, which raised questions on Tahilramani’s conduct in some cases and alleged that she was involved in financial irregularities.
The Supreme Court Collegium had decided to transfer her to the Meghalaya High Court, and refused to reconsider the matter. Later, Tahilramani submitted her resignation to the President.
Velmurugan, a member of Tami Nadu Bar Council, who claims to be representing a group of lawyers from Madras High Court, said that the Collegium appears to be in a hurry to vindicate their stand.
“It is a witch hunt. The Collegium seems to protect the opaqueness in the system”, he said.
“Had Tahilramani accepted the transfer, would these complaints and the CBI investigation surfaced? Also, we see grave irregularities in her transfer to Meghalaya as Chief Justice”, he added.
Sources in the apex court pointed at the alleged irregularities in the purchase of two flats in Chennai by Tahilramani, as also her decision to dissolve a special bench at the High Court dealing with idol theft cases, which allegedly involved influential people.
Sources familiar with the development said that the IB had submitted a five-page report after she resigned, following the CJI-led Collegium decision on September 3 on her transfer. She tendered her resignation on September 6.
Tahilramani had resigned in protest against the Supreme Court Collegium’s August 28 proposal to transfer her to the Meghalaya High Court. Lawyers of Madras High Court protested against the Collegium decision and boycotted court proceedings on one day demanding revocation of the transfer order.
At a farewell function organised by the Madras Bar Association, Tahilramani said that with the cooperation of the Bar, she was able to dispose off over 5,000 cases.