Karnataka HC Senior Judge VG Sabhahit dies of cardiac arrest in his Court Chamber

Senior Judge of Karnataka High Court, Justice V. G. Sabhahit yesterday died in his Court Chamber following a cardiac arrest. The Judge, after completing the day's proceedings of the Court, complained of severe chest pain at about 1630 hrs in his chamber and was rushed to a private heartcare hospital where the doctors declared him brought dead, according to media reports. 

Senior Judge of Karnataka High Court, Justice V. G. Sabhahit yesterday died in his Court Chamber following a cardiac arrest. The Judge, after completing the day's proceedings of the Court, complained of severe chest pain at about 1630 hrs in his chamber and was rushed to a private heartcare hospital where the doctors declared him brought dead, according to media reports.

Justice VG Sabhahit was born on November 26, 1955. He studied Law in Mangalore and enrolled as an advocate on July, 20, 1979. He practised in the Karnataka High Court before joining the Karnataka Judicial Service as district judge on April 18, 1988.

He was later promoted to higher cadre of district judge on November 22, 1995. He was appointed as additional judge of the High Court on February 21, 2000. His appointment was made permanent on June 11, 2001. He was third in seniority among judges in the High Court of Karnataka.

Justice Sabhahit was in the limelight when eleven BJP MLAs had rebelled against B S Yeddyurappa in 2010. The dissident MLAs had approached the High Court of Karnataka where a specially constituted Bench consisting of Chief Justice J.S. Kehar and Justice N. Kumar heard the pleas of the BJP MLAs against their disqualification. The Bench heard their pleas and gave a split verdict with Justice Kehar upholding their disqualification while Justice Kumar was in favour of setting aside their disqualification.

The matter was then heard by a third judge, Justice VG Sabhahit who upheld their disqualification. Justice V.G. Sabhahit held that it was clear that the contents of the letter given to the Governor by the MLAs would lead to the inevitable inference that the intention of the petitioners was to voluntary giving up membership of the BJP.