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Retired Supreme Court judge PB Sawant passes away at 90
Sawant had been ailing for some time and breathed his last in the presence of his family at his Baner residence. The last rites will be held on Tuesday
Retired Supreme Court judge PB Sawant (90) passed away at his Pune residence around 9 am on Monday. Sawant had been ailing for some time and breathed his last in the presence of his family at his Baner residence. The last rites will be held on Tuesday. He is survived by his wife Jayshree, daughters Sujata and Rajashree , and son Vishwajeet.
Besides being the chairman of the Press Council of India (PCI) during 1995-2001, Justice Sawant was also instrumental in organising the first edition of Elgar Parishad on December 31, 2017, and served as its co-convenor along with retired Justice BG Kolse Patil.
His daughter Sujata Mane said, “My father had a remarkable career as a judge. He delivered important judgments which have benefited citizens at large. He was upright and never gave up on his principles. He will be remembered for his work for the people...He is a shining example for his courageous judgments for the benefit of the society.”
Born on June 30, 1930, Sawant started practising as a lawyer in Mumbai high court after completing LLB degree from Mumbai University. He wrote several articles and recommended many social and economic reforms in his book ‘Grammar of democracy’.
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He was appointed a judge in Mumbai high court in 1973 and his important decisions include inquiry into the June 1982 Air India crash. He was appointed a Supreme Court Judge in 1989 and retired in 1995. He also worked with retired Justice Suresh Hosbet on an Indian People’s Tribunal headed by Justice V R Krishna Iyer to investigate the 2002 Gujarat riots.
“Justice Sawant always stood for justice and emancipation of the people. He is an ideal for all of us and excelled in his field of jurisprudence, was an activist and a devoted social worker,” said retired Judge B G Kolse Patil.
Justice Sawant also chaired the judicial commission which was set up in 2003 to probe the corruption charges against four NCP ministers by social crusader Anna Hazare.
