Calcutta high court judge recuses after getting ‘favourable’ verdict calls – Times of India

Kolkata News

KOLKATA: A Calcutta high court judge on Tuesday refused to hear a case saying attempts were being made to reach out to him to get a favourable judgment in the case.
This is the second instance after March 11 when such an incident has taken place. Earlier, a Calcutta high court judge recused himself from a case after a lawyer approached him in the judge’s chambers trying to influence the proceedings.
On Tuesday, Justice Md Nizamuddin, while hearing a case relating to former Madhya Pradesh CM Kamal Nath, said he was releasing the case “on personal grounds” and directed it be placed before the Calcutta HC Chief Justice.
In the case, Kamal Nath has moved against The Principal Commissioner of Income Tax, Kolkata-9, challenging the IT summons against him asking him to appear in New Delhi, and not in Kolkata, under which he is a tax assessee.
Justice Nizamuddin, terming the matter very unfortunate, said in an open courtroom that he has received telephone calls on the matter seeking a favourable judgment. The judge said he is not inclined to hear the matter further.
Earlier, Justice Shekhar B Saraf told senior counsel Harish Salve during a hearing that he will also not appear in the case any more. Justice Saraf told Salve that it was “very unfortunate” that someone could directly walk into a judge’s chambers and approach judges. Justice Saraf said he was so shocked at this that he didn’t say anything then and kept it at that. The judge said it was also very unfortunate that people actually believed they can approach judges on cases being heard by them.

Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/calcutta-high-court-judge-recuses-after-getting-favourable-verdict-calls/articleshow/90386198.cms