CBI did not find commission of any offence by Justice VK Tahalramani: Union Minister on reference by former CJI Ranjan Gogoi

Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh told the Lok Sabha on Wednesday that the reference received by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) from the Secretary General of the Supreme Court against former Chief Justice of Madras High Court, VK Tahalramani did not disclose commission of any cognizable offence.

In September 2019, the then Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi had directed the CBI to take appropriate action in response to an Intelligence Bureau (IB) report that highlighted Justice Tahilramani's alleged irregularities in the purchase of two flats in Chennai, the decision to dissolve a special High Court bench dealing with idol theft cases involving influential politicians, and her alleged close ties with a Tamil Nadu Minister.

During the question hour in Lok Sabha, DMK MP AKP Chinraj sought to know whether CBI received any direction from July 2019 to November 2019 from Supreme Court or Chief Justice of India to take action against a former Chief Justice of Madras High Court from July 2019 to November 2019. He also asked whether any FIR was registered by CBI in this regard.

The reply by Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh revealed that a reference was indeed received but, on verification, the CBI found that it did not disclose commission of a cognizable offence and therefore, no FIR was registered.

"CBI had received a reference dated 26.09.2019 from Secretary General of Hon’ble Supreme Court of India. CBI, on verification, found that the reference did not disclose commission of a cognizable offence and accordingly, no offence has been registered," the reply said.

The report by IB came in September 2019 after Justice Tahilramani resigned following the Supreme Court Collegium reiterating her transfer to Meghalaya High Court as Chief Justice.

The abrupt proposal to transfer Chief Justice Tahilramani to the Meghalaya High Court had raised eyebrows, given that Justice Tahilramani was the senior-most judge among High Court judges in the country. Before being appointed Madras High Court Chief Justice, she was heading the Bombay High Court as its acting Chief Justice.

While Madras and Bombay High Courts are two among the largest High Courts in the country, the Meghalaya High Court has a sanctioned strength of only three judges including the Chief Justice.

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