Jagan’s Allegations: CJI Seeks Justice NV Ramana’s Reply

CM YS Jagan’s letter to the Chief Justice of India Sharad Arvind Bobde against future CJI and Supreme Court Justice NV Ramana has created a national debate. CM’s direct allegations against a Supreme Court’s Justice has kicked up a major furore and it invoked flak from several judicial authorities. Now, taking everyone by surprise, nearly three months after CM Jagan’s letter, CJI SS Bobde has acted on it and sought response from Justice NV Ramana. CJI Bobde has asked NV Ramana to give his response. Meanwhile, the CJI reportedly asked CM Jagan Mohan Reddy to submit the complaint on oath in the form of an affidavit, which the latter subsequently did.

Taking CM Jagan’s allegations seriously, CJI SA Bobde seems to have initiated a slew of steps. CJI of AP High Court Jitendra Maheshwari has been transferred to Sikkim and CJI of Telangana RS Chauhan has been transferred to Uttarakhand. These transfers looked like a normal reshuffle and they came into effect after their gazette notification was approved by President Ramnath Kovind.

It all began with an explosive letter by CM Jagan dated Oct 6 2020, where he accused Justice NV Ramana of corruption and conspiring against his government at the behest of Opposition leader Chandrababu Naidu. Jagan alleged that Justice NV Ramana had received favours from Naidu for the same. It was alleged that NV Ramana’s daughter bought land in Amaravati and CM Jagan alleged it was due to NV Ramana’s corruption. It was alleged that Justice Ramana was influencing Chief Justice of Andhra Pradesh to favour TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu and thus destabilizing Jagan’s government. These were serious and unprecedented allegations from a Chief Minister against a future CJI and Chief Justices of states.

Meanwhile, this was after Justice Ramana, who was heading a bench, had ordered proceedings against AP CM YS Jaganmohan Reddy on October 9th in a Disproportionate Assets case in the CBI Special Court, Hyderabad. CM Jagan’s letter to the CJI against NV Ramana was made public to the media the very next day i.e on oct 10, 2020 by CM Jagan’s principal advisor Ajeya Kallam.

More details are yet to arrive. Now, all eyes are on Justice NV Ramana’s response to CM Jagan’s direct allegations.