SC tags Abhishek Banerjee plea against HC judge with suo motu case on Bengal fake certificates

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday tagged Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee's plea to issue directions to take action against Calcutta High Court's judge, Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay, for his "continuous politically motivated interviews" with the matter arising out of Calcutta HC's judge's controversy in connection with the West Bengal fake certificate matter.
Banerjee has urged the apex court to issue directions to take action against Calcutta HC's judge Justice Gangopadhyay for his interviews in connection to sub-judice matters.
Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for the TMC leader, apprised the court that Justice Gangopadhyay has given three interviews. He further added that Justice Gangopadhyay says that Justice Amrita Sinha talked to Justice Soumen Sen about his case, which needs to be looked at.
A bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud said that it will tag with the other matter where the top court has taken suo motu cognisance of the issue of the five-judge bench matter.
Banerjee, in his plea, sought appropriate direction forthwith the remarks made by the said single judge within or outside the court premises against him should not influence the investigation carried out by the Respondent agency.
Banerjee, in his plea filed through advocate Srisatya Mohanty, sought directions from the High Court to restrain the judges from making adverse comments about any sub judice case or the parties involved.
He also sought direction to constitute a special bench to hear the connected matters pertaining to him, uninfluenced by the remarks of the said single judge and his successor judge in the high court.
Abhishek Banerjee also sought appropriate directions for postponement of reportage of sub judice matters pertaining to him, safeguarding the presumption of innocence principle and for fair and dispassionate judicial consideration of the matters untainted by media hype.
Earlier, the Supreme Court took suo motu cognisance and transferred matters relating to fake caste certificates in West Bengal from Calcutta HC to itself.
In a special sitting, the Supreme Court stayed the proceedings before the Calcutta High Court in connection with the West Bengal fake certificate matter.
The top court has taken suo motu cognisance over the Calcutta High Court's order controversy that arose out of various contrary orders passed by the single-judge bench and division bench of the Calcutta High Court.
The case title "In Re: Orders of Calcutta High Court dated 24.01.2024 AND 25.01.2024 and Ancillary Issues" arose out of some orders passed by Calcutta High Court's single judge bench and division bench disagreeing with each other.
Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay, in his order, has accused Justice Soumen Sen, who is heading the division bench, of acting for a political party in the WB state."
The matter arises out of a petition in the HC, whereby it was alleged rampantly issuing fake caste certificates to many people to ease their admission to medical courses.
A single judge of Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay had directed to ignore Calcutta HC's division bench order and asked the CBI to begin its probe into the fake caste certificate matter.
Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay said that Justice Sen is acting clearly for some political party in the WB State and, therefore, the orders passed by the bench led by Justice Sen are required to be relooked if the Supreme Court thinks so.