AJL case: Special judge censures senior advocate for personal remarks

Senior advocate RS Cheema had allegedly asked the judge why he was taking personal interest in the money laundering case

A special judge handling money laundering cases at the Panchkula district courts has expressed displeasure over remarks made by senior advocate RS Cheema, stating that he tried to “overawe” the judicial process.

(Representative photo)

Cheema, a criminal lawyer and former advocate general of Punjab, represents Associated Journal Limited (AJL), the publisher of National Herald newspaper, in the illegal plot allotment case that also involves former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

The proceedings being carried out concern money laundering allegations being probe by the enforcement directorate. The hearings are taking place virtually, and it was on May 3, when the reported incident took place as special judge Dr Sushil Kumar Garg was discussing the next date for hearing for filing a supplementary challan.

The order states that Cheema pleaded for the next hearing to take place in July in view of Covid surge and his age, and made “uncalled-for personal remarks” against Garg, stating: “Aap is matter mai itna personal interest kyun dikha rahe ho (Why are you taking such personal interest in the case), by fixing such short date in May itself?”

‘Attempt to overawe judicial process’

According to the order, the judge said that such type of aspersions are “not expected” of a counsel of his stature and such an attempt to “overawe the judicial process” is “not appreciable”. Garg also cited the Supreme Court directions on conducting proceedings in all criminal cases and complaints against former and sitting MPs and MLAs on urgent basis.

“The accused and their respective counsels were duty bound to respect the mandate of law and the proceedings conducted in accordance therewith. Needless to say, the undersigned and the court officials were also risking their lives in the wake of the threat of the pandemic to discharge the duties entrusted by law,” the order said.

Later, the court adjourned the matter for July 5, but recorded: “This goes without saying that the court highly values the peaceful and cordial relations between the Bench and the Bar. There is no intent to belittle the effort of any party or the learned counsels representing them, but at the same the law casts a duty upon the presiding officer to uphold the majesty of law to further the cause of justice on which our Constitution lays so much emphasis.”

The money laundering probe was initiated after the CBI registered a corruption case in 2016 for the alleged offences committed by Hooda when he was the CM in 2005. The Congress leader is accused of illegally allotting a plot to AJL in Panchkula. The CBI court, which is also presided over by the same judge, had recently framed charges against Hooda in the case.

When contacted, RS Cheema said he doesn’t want to comment on the issue.