Judges who took selfies with PM Modi are activist judges now: Former CJI Ranjan Gogoi

Former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi said on Wednesday that he did not meet Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi even once during his tenure as the CJI..Justice Gogoi, whose tenure at the helm of India's judiciary had stirred quite a controversy for various reasons including allegations of improper listing of cases and sexual harassment of a female court staff, said that he had been given a hotline with the Prime Minister and Law Minister but "threw it"."I was given a special hotline to PM and Law Minister, but I threw it. Executive interference is possible to be made in hundred different ways and it depends upon the incumbent. I didn't meet the PM even once," he said..He also said that there was nothing improper in the Prime Minister visiting the Supreme Court on November 26, Constitution Day and certain judges who took selfies with PM then are now "activist judges". "He (PM Modi) came on November 26, Constitution Day. I don't think (there is) anything wrong with it. They were judges who took selfies with the PM. They are the activist judges now," the former CJI said.He was responding to a question by India Today News Director Rahul Kanwal after the launch of the former's autobiography 'Justice for the Judge'. "About PM Modi's private dinner at the Supreme Court just before Rafale judgment, people said 'daala mein kuch kaaala hai'", Kanwal said."Daal toh kaala hi hota hai. Nahi toh kya daal hai," Gogoi responded.He maintained that executive interference in judicial functioning is nil and it is all a matter of perception..Gogoi also said that he does not believe that judges should interact only with judges and not politicians. "Now is it a sin to meet the law minister ? I don't believe that judges should only meet judges. I met Ravi Shankar Prasad (former Law Minister) my friend. Not the law minister," he said.He also said that his mother was approached by former Chief Minister late Tarun Gogoi for a "judicial favour" but she told about it to him after he had delivered the judgment in the concerned case..Read more about what Justice Gogoi said here.Read our live coverage of the event here.