Walking the footsteps of CJI Gogoi, Justice A K Sikri rescues himself of hearing interim CBI chief’s case

NewsBharati    24-Jan-2019
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New Delhi, January 24: After CJI Ranjan Gogoi withdrew himself from hearing a petition challenging the appointment of M Nageswara Rao as the interim director of the Central Bureau of Investigation, it is Justice AK Sikri following the footsteps. He marked himself as the second judge of the Supreme Court to recuse himself from hearing the same case on Thursday. The plea will now be listed before another bench on Friday.

 
“You understand my position,” the judge told the petitioner Common Cause’s lawyer when the matter came up for hearing. “I can’t hear this matter.” Sikri was on the selection panel that had removed Alok Verma as the CBI director on January 10. Rao was appointed the interim director by the committee.
 
Responding to Justice Sikri, Dave said, “It is becoming very frustrating and it is giving an impression that your Lordship does not want to hear this matter. Earlier also the CJI had recused when the matter was listed for hearing. Now your lordship (Justice Sikri) is also recusing from the matter”.
 
"I am not sure if I should say this but yes, this matter raises some important and interesting questions...it can be taken up tomorrow itself. That is no problem", concurred Justice Sikri further.
 
A K Sikri, the second most-senior judge in the top court, was put on the panel after Gogoi rescued himself of the case. Gogoi is scheduled to attend the panel’s meeting to select Verma’s successor.
 
Meanwhile, Advocate Prashant Bhushan, who filed the petition, has urged the top court to quash Rao’s appointment order. The plea has also sought a direction to the Centre to appoint a regular CBI director by following the procedure laid down in the Act.