Soumitra probe report likely today

The probe panel report that is understood to have recommended the impeachment (removal) of Calcutta High Court judge Justice Soumitra Sen, holding him guilty of misappropriation of public funds, will be made public on Wednesday.

The probe panel report that is understood to have recommended the impeachment (removal) of Calcutta High Court judge Justice Soumitra Sen, holding him guilty of misappropriation of public funds, will be made public on Wednesday.

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The report of the three-member panel headed by Supreme Court judge Justice B Sudershan Reddy is scheduled to be tabled in both houses of Parliament around noon, according to a House bulletin.

The panel, which included eminent jurist Fali S Nariman and Punjab and Haryana High Court chief justice Mukul Mudgal as its members, was set up by Rajya Sabha chairman Hamid Ansari in March last year.

Ansari acted on an impeachment notice signed by 58 opposition MPs, led by CPM leader Sitaram Yechury.

Justice Sen could go down in history as the first judge to be removed by impeachment in India since no political party has come out in his support so far, though the ruling Congress is yet to make its stand public.

Justice Sen has consistently denied the allegations and in his defence before the probe panel, his lawyer pointed out that the judge had deposited Rs 58 lakh with the court and a division bench of the high court had cleared him of all wrongdoings in 2006.