Bombay Bar Association seeks action against man for ‘false allegations’ against Justice Chandrachud – The Indian Express

The association’s standing committee led by its president senior advocate Nitin Thakker has sought strict action against Pathan for making false allegations against Justice Chandrachud, calling it a ‘scandalous attack’ on the judiciary and “an attempt at character assassination of Justice Chandrachud whose integrity is unquestionable and beyond doubt”.

Earlier, the Bar Council of India backed the judge over an alleged complaint of misuse of office ahead of his imminent elevation as Chief Justice of India (CJI). The association said that it came across a complaint addressed by Pathan to President of India Droupadi Murmu, Central Vigilance Commission and Chief Justice of India Justice U U Lalit and said the same was making “ex-facie false, baseless and malicious” allegations against Justice Chandrachud.

The BBA said that Pathan was the same person who was convicted of contempt of court by the Supreme Court in 2019, and despite that, he had continued the practice of making allegations against judges “to intimidate the judiciary and interfere in administration of justice”.

It said that Pathan’s allegations against a sitting judge of the Bombay High Court had in the past compelled the association to file a plea against him in the high court. The Bombay High Court had observed the statements by Pathan had scandalised the court and tended to lower its dignity and had issued a show-cause notice to Pathan.

“The malicious intent and purpose behind such a complaint is not far to see and is exposed by the timing of the complaint itself,” the association stated.

The association said it reposed “full faith and confidence” in Justice Chandrachud, who was a former judge of the Bombay High Court and claimed that Pathan’s complaint was “a vicious attempt to undermine the judiciary”.