CHENNAI: Justice C S Karnan, who is involved in a tussle with the brother judges of the Madras High Court over the selection and appointment of judges to lower level judiciary, shot off a letter to the CBI joint director, Chennai, seeking a comprehensive inquiry into the education qualification of one of the High Court judges on the selection panel.
He also attached documents obtained under Right to Information (RTI) Act to substantiate his allegations.
The letter was dated May 11, the day when the Supreme Court issued a blanket stay on Justice Karnan’s earlier order on a suo motu petition in connection with the appointment of junior judicial officers.
In his letter, Justice Karnan reiterated his allegation that one of the five judges of the High Court who was on the interview panel had submitted bogus certificates and obtained the position of judge at the High Court.
The said judge, alleged Justice Karnan, produced BL degree certificate claiming that he studied in a regular course as day scholar from 1980-83, that he obtained a masters degree in law from the Madras University in 1985-87 and that he had enrolled as an advocate at the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu in 1983.
However, “during this relevant period, he was employed with the Post and Telegraph Department as a telegraphist,” Justice Karnan noted in his letter.
A copy of a document obtained under RTI Act from BSNL was attached to the letter, which showed that a person with a similar name was appointed on August 3, 1976, who resigned from service on November 30, 1988.
Justifying his decision to seek the inquiry, Justice Karnan said that with the Supreme Court staying his suo motu order, he was duty bound to disclose the facts with relevant records before the SC.
“This direction is given only to extend full co-operation with the Supreme Court and in order to disclose the entire factual position of the case,” Karnan added.
The principal of Dr Ambedkar Government Law College, Tamil Nadu Bar Council, Madras University Registrar, chief general manager of Chennai Telephones and the Registrar General of the High Court were sent copies of the letter, requesting them to cooperate with the CBI for a thorough inquiry.