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UP Medical College Scam: Chaos reigns in SC as CJI dissolves Justice Chelameswar-selected bench

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8 years ago

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UP Medical College Scam: Chaos reigns in SC as CJI dissolves Justice Chelameswar-selected bench

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The simmering power struggle at the Supreme Court came to the surface on Friday (November 10) when Chief Justice Dipak Misra made it clear that it is the CJI who is the master of roster of the Supreme Court. The apex court also made it clear that neither a two-judge, nor a three-judge bench can direct the CJI to constitute any specific bench (constitution bench).

The case was about an allegation that there has been an attempt to bribe judges of the Supreme Court related to registration of an Uttar Pradesh medical college. A petition in this regard had been filed by advocate Kamini Jaiswal. Another petition, on the same lines, had been filed by advocate Prashant Bhushan.

It may be recalled that the Centre had earlier de-registered 46 medical colleges for substandard facilities. Custodians of the Prasad Education Trust in Uttar Pradesh approached the Supreme Court for relief after they were debarred in August 2017 from admitting students for academic years 2017-18 and 2018-19.

Allegations have thereafter been made regarding this bribery possibility.

In the meantime, a Supreme Court bench comprising the CJI, Justice Khanwilkar and Justice Amitava Roy who were hearing the matter, stayed the Medical Council of India’s notification and allowed five medical colleges to admit students. The FIR filed by the CBI on September 19 under the Prevention of Corruption Act alleges that these five colleges then approached former Orissa and Allahabad HC judge, Justice (retd) Ishrat Masroor Quddusi, to supposedly fix the matter. First, they approached (allegedly on the advice of Justice Quddusi) the Allahabad HC, where they got a favourable order.

After that, Prasad Trust’s functionaries approached the Supreme Court and Justice Quddusi allegedly introduced them to Biswanath Agrawal, a resident of Bhubaneswar, Odisha, who claimed he was close to “senior public officials” and would “settle the matter in the apex court”.

On September 20, Quddusi and five others were arrested by the CBI and presented before Tis Hazari Court the next day. Judge Manoj Jain of the special court handling CBI cases sent Quddusi and the others to custody after the CBI said their custodial interrogation was required to unearth the “larger nexus” in the alleged medical college scam.

JUSTICE CHELAMESWAR’S DECISION

While hearing Jaiswal’s petition, Justices Chelameswar and Abdul Nazeer decided that the case would be heard by a five-judge constitution bench on Monday (November 13). The judges selected for that bench were Justices Chelameswar, Ranjan Gogoi, Madan Lokur, Kurian Joseph and AK Sikri.

This order was passed by Justices Chelameswar and Nazeer, after hearing senior advocate Dushyant Dave, who pressed for the constitution of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe allegations. Chief Justice Dipak Misra was not included on this bench, just because—as Dave pointed out—the other similar case was being heard by the CJI.

This seemed a flawed decision. The roster of the apex court, including the formation of constitution or special benches is entirely the CJI’s discretion. The No. 2 (officially) of the court will not have this power.

That was what the CJI made clear on Friday. In dealing with the petition of Bhushan, the CJI too formed a constitution bench that did not include judges from the Justice Chelameswar-constituted bench. The CJI’s bench includes the CJI and Justices RK Agrawal, Arun Mishra, Amitava Roy and A M Khanwilkar.

The Justice Chelamshwar-constituted constitution bench, therefore, stands dissolved.

TEMPERS FRAYED

On Friday, however, tempers soared. Advocate Bhushan raised his voice while replying to the CJI. Though he apologized later, he had to be removed by marshals.

Bhushan, screaming at the top of his voice, said: “CJI should not be the member of this bench. He has corruption charges against him.”

A visibly angered CJI replied: “You are not even worth contempt.”

At that SCBA president Sodi said: “The bench can’t bring any favourable order under threat of terrorism.”

Justice Agrawal then told the SCBA president: “This is the duty of bar to take care of lawyers’ conduct. This court is not duty bound to look into lawyers conduct. We are here not here to protect any.”

Justice Amitava Roy got angry and told Bhushan: “Please don’t raise your voice. You are supporting the cause of accusing a sitting Chief Justice on his face.” Another lawyer said: “People are laughing at us.” There was a suggestion that both matters (related) be listed before a full court.

Talk was on, when Bhushan lost his temper and the altercation grew. Lawyers from Prashant Bhushan’s side pleaded: “Please don’t print this in the media. Please don’t allow any media person to publish this on news channels.”

Said the CJI: “There will be no anarchy or chaos. There cannot be an order directing a matter to be placed before a particular bench. If any such order has been passed by any bench, that will not hold the field… So that takes care of Monday’s bench.”

That was the end of the Justice Chelameswar-constituted constitutional bench.

There was trouble among lawyers too. One lawyer was heard saying: “Take our oral contempt petition. He (Prashant Bhushan) pushed us (while he was being escorted by the Marshalls of the court).”

Advocate Kamini Jaiswal said: “This order (of the CJI) may be placed before the other bench. In the last month there have been six matters which were before other bench taken by CJI.”

To that the CJI replied: “Yes. That is my prerogative. The MoP matter ought not to have been heard on the judicial side (hence he took it up and ordered as he did).”

The CJI finally ordered: “The matter be placed before the CJI to be placed before appropriate bench. List after two weeks.”

PS Narasimha asked: “Can anyone say, ‘I know someone and can get it done’.  Can this be the basis for contempt?”

Justice Arun Mishra said: “It cannot be read against any judge. Can there be any FIR against a judge?”

Justice Khanwilkar said: “Are we going to put our judiciary at the disposal of an SI?”

There was a suggestion by RS Suri that contempt may be issued against all concerned, including Ms Kamini Jaiswal, Prashant Bhushan, etc.

To that the CJI said: “That’s on contempt. We are on judicial propriety.”

A senior advocate observed: “These petitions have caused a perception that the Supreme Court is worse than a political establishment.”

Asked the CJI: “What is your suggestion?”

Several voices in court said: “Contempt”.

Bhan said: “They must explain their conduct.”

CJI, asking Bhushan, who was back: “You say ‘I lost my temper’. You can lose your temper. We cannot.”

CJI asked the opinions of senior advocates present in court. Advocate RP Bhat said: “This is contempt per se. Spoiling the image of the court.”

Things rested at that.

Source: India Legal[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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India and Russia vow to walk together against terrorism, reaffirm strategic partnership

PM Modi and President Putin reaffirm India-Russia unity against terrorism, deepen energy and trade cooperation, and discuss peace efforts amid the Ukraine conflict.

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39 mins ago

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December 5, 2025

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday underlined that India and Russia “walk together in the fight against terrorism,” reinforcing a decades-old strategic partnership that remains steady amid global geopolitical churn. The leaders issued the joint statement following talks at Hyderabad House in Delhi, where they also announced steps to boost trade, economic cooperation, and energy collaboration.

India-Russia stand firm on counter-terror cooperation

PM Modi described President Putin as a “dear friend” and highlighted Moscow’s consistent support to India on counter-terror efforts. Russia had earlier strongly condemned the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, allegedly linked to Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed, and reiterated solidarity with India’s fight against terrorism in all forms.

The joint remarks emphasized that the bilateral friendship, rooted in trust and mutual respect, has remained resilient for decades despite global challenges.

Focus on energy, trade and use of national currencies

A key highlight of the engagement was Russia reaffirming “uninterrupted shipments” of fuel to India. PM Modi expressed gratitude for Russia’s commitment, noting energy cooperation as a crucial pillar of the relationship. While he did not specifically mention oil purchases, given ongoing Western pressure, he emphasised cooperation in civil nuclear and clean energy.

The two countries also discussed expanding economic ties, including a possible free trade agreement. President Putin said bilateral trade was being targeted to reach USD 100 billion, and acknowledged progress toward using national currencies for payments — a remark expected to draw global attention.

Putin shares peace plan insights on Ukraine conflict

Putin briefed the Prime Minister on Russia’s perspective for a peaceful resolution to the ongoing Ukraine war and appreciated India’s continued role as a “champion of peace.” PM Modi reiterated India’s consistent position on dialogue and diplomacy.

Agreements across jobs, health, shipping and minerals

Officials exchanged multiple agreements covering employment mobility, health, shipping, chemicals and cooperation in critical minerals — further broadening the strategic footprint of the partnership.

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RBI cuts repo rate to 5.25%, paving the way for cheaper loans

The RBI has cut the repo rate to 5.25%, aiming to support growth as inflation softens. The central bank also raised GDP projections and announced liquidity-boosting measures.

Published

6 hours ago

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December 5, 2025

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Reserve Bank of India

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) reduced the key repo rate by 25 basis points to 5.25% on Thursday, signalling relief for borrowers as banks are expected to offer lower EMIs on home and vehicle loans. Governor Sanjay Malhotra announced the move after the conclusion of the three-day Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting.

RBI prioritises growth as inflation eases

Malhotra said the decision was unanimous, with the central bank choosing to focus on supporting economic momentum despite concerns over a weak rupee. The repo rate was earlier cut in June from 6% to 5.5% amid easing inflation trends.

The RBI now projects Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation at 2% for FY2025-26, significantly softer than earlier estimates. For the first quarter of FY2026-27, inflation is expected at 3.9%, lower than the previous projection. The governor noted that rising precious metal prices may contribute to the headline CPI, but overall risks to inflation remain balanced.

GDP outlook strengthened

In a strong upward revision, the central bank increased the GDP forecast for the current financial year to 7.3%, previously estimated at 6.8%. Growth for the October–December quarter has also been revised to 6.7%.

The last quarter registered a six-quarter high expansion of 8.2%, reflecting resilient demand and steady credit flow.

“The growth-inflation balance continues to offer policy space,” Malhotra said, reiterating that the RBI’s stance remains neutral.

Other key decisions

Alongside the repo rate cut, the RBI announced adjustments to key policy corridors:

  • Standing Deposit Facility (SDF): 5%
  • Marginal Standing Facility (MSF): 5.5%

To improve liquidity and strengthen monetary transmission, the RBI will conduct forex swaps and purchase ₹1 lakh crore worth of government bonds through Open Market Operations (OMO).

RBI reviews a challenging year

Reflecting on 2025, Malhotra said the year delivered strong growth and moderate inflation even as global trade and geopolitical uncertainties persisted. He added that bank credit and retail lending remained healthy, providing support to the economy.

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India News

IndiGo flight chaos deepens as over 500 services cancelled, passengers stranded for hours

Over 500 IndiGo flights were cancelled nationwide, leaving passengers stranded without food, clarity or their luggage as airports struggled to manage the disruption.

Published

6 hours ago

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December 5, 2025

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IndiGo flight

India’s largest airline continued to face massive operational breakdowns, triggering frustration among travellers at major airports across the country. From piles of unattended suitcases to passengers waiting over 12 hours without food or clarity, the disruption stretched into its fourth consecutive day.

Long delays, no communication leave passengers anguished

Several travellers at Delhi airport described the situation as “mental torture”, as thousands of unclaimed suitcases lay scattered across the terminal. Many slept on the floor, while others expressed anger over the lack of communication from airline staff.

One flier said he had been waiting for over 12 hours without any explanation: “Every time they say one-hour or two-hour delays. We were going to a wedding but don’t even have our luggage.”

A passenger in Hyderabad recounted a similar ordeal, saying the flight was delayed indefinitely with no food, water, or updates from the airline. At the airport, some travellers blocked an Air India flight in protest over the lack of arrangements.

Goa and Chennai airports also witnessed tense moments. Videos from Goa showed fliers shouting at IndiGo staff as police attempted to calm the situation. At Chennai, CISF denied entry to IndiGo passengers due to heavy congestion.

Major metro airports impacted; cascading cancellations nationwide

Flight cancellations and delays were reported across multiple airports:

  • Over 200 flights were cancelled in Delhi
  • More than 100 each in Mumbai and Bengaluru
  • Around 90 in Hyderabad
  • Dozens more in Pune, Vishakhapatnam, Chennai and Bhopal

Pune airport stated that parking bay congestion worsened the situation, as several IndiGo aircraft remained grounded due to lack of crew. Other airlines continued operations without disruption.

Airport authorities said they had mobilised additional manpower for crowd control and passenger support.

IndiGo admits planning lapses, says more cancellations expected

The airline acknowledged a “misjudgment” in assessing crew requirements under revised night-duty norms, which it said created planning gaps. Winter weather and airport congestion further aggravated the crisis.

IndiGo informed the aviation ministry and DGCA that some regulatory changes—such as the shift in night-duty timings and a cap on night landings—have been rolled back temporarily to stabilise operations.

The airline warned that cancellations may continue for another two to three days, and from December 8, schedules will be trimmed to prevent further disruption.

In a message to employees, CEO Pieter Elbers said restoring punctuality would not be an “easy target”.

Airline issues apology amid nationwide frustration

In a late-night statement, IndiGo apologised to customers and industry partners, acknowledging the widespread inconvenience caused by the disruptions. The airline said all teams were working with authorities to bring operations back to normal.

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