Bihar Judge in trouble for questioning corruption in judiciary

Patna High Court Chief Justice issued a notice on Wednesday saying that all cases are withdrawn from Patna High Court judge Rakesh Kumar. Kumar had slammed other judges and the high court administration publicly while hearing a corruption case against a former IAS officer.

Patna (Bihar):The Patna High Court Chief Justice on Thursday issued a notice to withdraw all cases from a senior judge after he alleged corruption in the judiciary while hearing a case against a former IAS officer.

According to a notice issued by the order of the Patna High Court Chief Justice, "All matters pending before Justice Rakesh Kumar, sitting singly including tired up/part heard or otherwise stand withdrawn with immediate effect".

"Justice Rakesh Kumar will await in chambers for work assignments until ordered otherwise" - notice issued by the order of Chief Justice of Patna High Court said.

Justice Rakesh Kumar, who is the senior-most judge, said in his order on Wednesday, that corruption in High Court is (an) open secret. He also made scathing remarks on the prevailing situation in state judiciary and publicly pointed out corruption in lower courts.

Justice Rakesh Kumar, while hearing the bail application of former IAS officer KP Ramiah, had questioned how he was granted bail by a lower court when the High Court, as well as the Supreme Court, had rejected his request for protection from arrest because of the gravity of the allegations.

Justice Kumar said a "corrupt officer" like Ramaiah secured bail as a vacation judge heard his case in place of the regular judge of the Vigilance Court, who was away for a day.

The judge also alleged that the full bench of the Patna High Court had taken a lenient view every time the case of any judge from the lower judiciary came up. "Despite my opposition, a judge facing serious charges was let off with minor punishment instead of an exemplary one," Justice Kumar had said in his order.

Justice Kumar also hit out at High Court judges for wasting public money by choosing to stay in guest houses for months on the pretext of renovating the government bungalows allotted to them.

Justice Kumar ordered that a copy of his Wednesday order be served to the Chief Justice of India, Prime Minister's office and Union Ministry of Law and Justice.

Ramiah is accused of embezzling over Rs. 5 crore from the Bihar Mahadalit Vikas Mission, a state government scheme for deprived and marginalised Dalits.