Rahul Gandhi accuses BJP of bulldozing institutions

DELHI/ BENGALURU: Former AICC President Rahul Gandhi slammed the ruling BJP over the statement of a sitting High Court judge hearing a matter related to a bribery case, that he was being “threatened with transfer”, and accused the BJP of bulldozing ‘’institution after institution”.

He also shared a video in which the judge, during court proceedings, said he was threatened with a transfer after his remark against the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) that it had become a “collection centre”. The judge said he was unfazed and added, “I will bell the cat, even at the cost of my judgeship.”

“A HC judge has been threatened for exposing BJP’s corrupt government in Karnataka. Institution after institution is being bulldozed by the BJP. Each of us must stand with those fearlessly doing their duty (sic),” Gandhi said, using the hashtag “#DaroMat”.

The Congress has been attacking the BJP government in Karnataka on the issue of corruption. On Monday, Rahul Gandhi had demanded that Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai should resign to ensure fair investigation into the police recruitment scam.

ADVOCATES’ ASSN TO WRITE TO CJI SEEKING INQUIRY
Bengaluru: Observing that a sitting judge allegedly trying to influence another sitting judge with ‘threats’ of transfer for making remarks against the Additional Director General of Police of the Anti Corruption Bureau is not only unpardonable, but also amounts to contempt of court, Advocates’ Association of Bangalore (AAB) president Vivek Subba Reddy on Tuesday said they will write to the Chief Justice of India to order an in-house inquiry on the influence borne on Karnataka High Court judge Justice H P Sandesh.     Addressing the media, Reddy said they will also demand the CJI to frame a Code of Conduct and Do’s and Don’ts for judges to stop such instances in future. If such an attempt by a sitting judge has an influence on judgment, then it affects the independence of the judiciary.