PIL filed in SC for probe into “laptop scam” involving Delhi judges

A public interest litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking investigation into the misuse of funds allocated for the purchase of laptops by Delhi judges. The petition has been filed by a law student Vibhor Anand (Petitioner)..Judges of the lower courts in Delhi were sanctioned Rs. 1.1 lakh each to purchase computers, laptops or iPads. However, many of them have allegedly used the money for buying devices like television sets and home theatre systems. When the news of the same was published in the media, the Chief Justice of Delhi Court set up a panel of Justices Vipin Sanghi, Rajiv Shakdher and VK Rao to conduct an inquiry..The Petitioner has submitted that he filed an RTI application to get the details with respect to the status of the inquiry by the panel including details of accused judges but the same was not furnished by the High Court. Subsequently, Anand filed a writ petition before the Delhi High Court but the Registry allegedly refused to list it. Anand then withdrew the petition from the High Court and approached the Supreme Court..In his petition, Anand has alleged that “the corrupt practices by the judicial officers by misappropriation of funds/financial frauds has tarnished the image of judiciary.” He has further submitted that the refusal by the Registrar General of the Delhi High Court to supply information under the RTI Act is illegal, arbitrary and without any legal sanctity..Claiming that the public is entitled to know the details of all the corrupt judicial officers, Anand has also alleged that.“The respondent no 1 who himself is a judicial officer of the Delhi Higher Judicial Services is trying to cover up the illegal acts of his fellow colleagues who are presently under the probe and with an ulterior motive suppressed the information sought in the RTI application by placing the information illegally under the immunity of section 8(1)(h) of the Right to Information Act despite having deep knowledge about the well settled legal preposition relating to difference between an Inquiry and an Investigation.”.Contending that it is the collective responsibility of the Chief Justice and other companion judges of the High Court to ensure a clean and corruption free lower judiciary, Anand has sought for an investigation into the scam by a Special Investigation Team or the CBI. He has also prayed for a direction to be issued to the High Court to furnish the status report with respect to the inquiry being conducted by the High Court panel. Anand has also sought for a direction to be given to the High Court to withdraw all judicial work from “all the judicial officers whose names have figured in the fact finding committee and are under the probe.”.Interestingly, Anand has also written a letter to the Chief Justice of India and the Supreme Court judges praying for action against those judges of the Delhi High Court including the Chief Justice who have allegedly tried to protect the judges involved in the “laptop scam”..Image taken from here.