Click to play videoChennai: Madras High Court Judge Justice R Reghupathy on Monday made a shocking revelation saying a Central Minister was putting pressure on him to grant bail in a case.
Now eminent jurists have come out saying that the judge should name the Union Minister following Justice R Reghupathy's bombshell in an open court.
Justice Reghupathy has claimed that a Central Minister asked him to grant anticipatory bail to a medical student and his doctor-father in a Central Bureau of Investigation case concerning a forged marksheet.
The judge threatened to write to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh if the advocate failed to submit a written unconditional apology.
"A Union Minister talked to me. He sought to influence me to release this petitioner on anticipatory bail," said justice Reghupathy without naming the minister.
The legal fraternity is shocked by the brazen interference of a Union Minister, whose name is not yet known.
"It is shocking because the judge who has given out this in open court should have mentioned the name of the concerned minister," said Justice UC Banerjee, retired judge of Supreme Court.
Advocates of the Madras High Court are also livid.
"It the allegations are true there should be a probe into it and if the concerned minister is found to be guilty of interference in the course of justice... suitable action should be taken," demanded Madras High Court senior lawyer R Vasigai.
But the Central Government wants to remain neutral.
"Normally we don't react to these matters. What happens in the court, the remarks made by the High Court judge... these are all matter that would have to be tackled by our law officers if they are concerned," Union Law Minister M Veerappa Moily said.
It is a serious allegation and it has been made by none less than a High Court judge against a minister in the Manmohan Singh Government.
The government will also have to play a positive role in unravelling the entire truth.
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