Suppression of report dented credibility: Jurist

The senior lawyer, who had earlier advocated “impartial inquiry” into the allegations, made scathing observations on the inquiry proceedings and non-disclosure of the report saying “scrutiny by people is the hallmark of Justice”.

The CJI on Monday got a clean chit from a three-member Inquiry Committee headed by Justice S A Bobde which found “no substance” in the allegations of a former woman employee of the apex court and further ruled that the report was not “liable to be made public. It has been the trait of Monarchy, Imperialism, Dictatorships and Authoritarian Empires to shut out information and knowledge about what may supposedly impact themadversely so as to avoid scrutiny,” Dwivedi said.

“Why has our Highest Judiciary relapsed into this Monarchical and Dictatorial Scheme of dispensing justice by seeking refuge behind the smokescreen of informal in-house inquiry at a time when the credibility of the Institution is at stake,” he added. He was critical of the argument that as the inquiry was “informal and in-house”, the common public was “persona non grata” (unwelcome person),” Dwivedi said.