Supreme Court bashes Prashant Bhushan for making unsubstantial claims against PM Modi

Noted Advocate Prashant Bhushan created a sensation in the Apex Court by saying that Chief Justice-designate Justice J S Khehar should recuse himself from the case of alleged corruption against PM Modi because it is the Prime Minister who has to clear the file concerning his formal appointment as the CJI.

The court’s decision came after Advocate Prashant Bhushan questioned if justice J.S. Khehar could hear the case while awaiting his appointment as the next chief justice of India.

Justice Khehar said, “This is highly unfair and in bad taste to make a remark like this. You cannot raise such a question in the third hearing.”

“Sometime we have to perform the unpleasant duty as officer of the court and that is why I am saying so but I have no difficulty if the court asks me to go ahead,” said Advocate Bhushan who found that the Bench was unmoved, even after repeated pleas to give him some more time to bring before the court evidence to back up his charge against the PM and some other top-ranking politicians.

Bhushan’s statement stunned all lawyers present in the court room. Khehar, who appeared clearly upset, said, “It is very unfair on your part to raise the issue now. If you have no confidence in me then you should have said so earlier when the matter was being heard. The matter was heard on two dates but why are you raising the issue now.” He later expressed his willingness to recuse himself.

Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi told the bench that it was the “cheapest tactics” adopted by Bhushan to delay the hearing. He also said that “I am pained and I will express my anguish inside the courtroom and outside. It will set a wrong precedent in judicial proceedings.”

The Bench also told Bhushan that “You are making a serious allegation against the Prime Minister in a very non serious way.”