Sign in

Amaravati land scam ex-Andhra HC judge files personal affidavit in Supreme Court

Justice V Eswaraiah has filed his personal affidavit as part of his appeal against the Andhra Pradesh high court order to investigate an alleged phone conversation between him and a suspended judicial officer, which the HC had dubbed as a “serious conspiracy” to destablise the judiciary.

Published on: Jan 18, 2021, 04:31:58 IST
By , New Delhi
Share
Share via
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • linkedin
Copy link
  • copy link

A former Andhra Pradesh high court judge has filed a personal affidavit in the Supreme Court to admit that he was “trying to collect more evidence” on the alleged involvement of the daughters of a sitting top court judge in the Amaravati land scam.

Justice Eswaraiah has filed his affidavit after an SC bench, headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan, directed him on January 11 to affirm it on oath that the voice in recorded conversation was his and he filed a correct transcript of the recording. (PTI)
Justice Eswaraiah has filed his affidavit after an SC bench, headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan, directed him on January 11 to affirm it on oath that the voice in recorded conversation was his and he filed a correct transcript of the recording. (PTI)

The sitting SC judge, the leaked conversation and an FIR registered in connection with the Amaravati land cases, make it clear, is Justice NV Ramana.

Justice V Eswaraiah has filed his personal affidavit as part of his appeal against the Andhra Pradesh high court order to investigate an alleged phone conversation between him and a suspended judicial officer, which the HC had dubbed as a “serious conspiracy” to destablise the judiciary.

In his affidavit that will be examined by the Supreme Court on Monday, justice Eswaraiah, who retired as acting chief justice of the Andhra Pradesh HC in 2013, has submitted on oath to affirm that he indeed had a conversation with the suspended district munsif magistrate about the senior SC judge and then chief justice of the high court. “That the relatives of a senior sitting SC judge were involved in these transactions (Amaravati land deals) was the information I had received, and was trying to collect more evidence with regard to it,” stated the affidavit by the retired judge, who is presently the chairman of state’s higher education regulatory and monitoring commission.

“I sought information and material from Mr Ramakrishna (judicial officer) in that phone conversation with regard to benami transactions, involving the Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) in Andhra Pradesh, and involvement of the relatives of the said Supreme Court judge,” read the affidavit, adding any inquiry into his personal chats will be violating his right to privacy.

Justice Eswaraiah said after this contentious conversation with the munsif magistrate on July 20 last year, an FIR was registered naming the two daughters of the sitting SC judge, Justice Ramana.

Justice Eswaraiah has filed his affidavit after an SC bench, headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan, directed him on January 11 to affirm it on oath that the voice in recorded conversation was his and he filed a correct transcript of the recording.

  • Utkarsh Anand
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Utkarsh Anand

    Utkarsh Anand is the National Legal Editor at Hindustan Times, where he leads the newspaper's coverage of the Supreme Court, constitutional law, the judiciary and the Union law ministry. He joined Hindustan Times in 2020 after stints at Press Trust of India (PTI), The Indian Express and CNN-News18, and has over two decades of experience reporting on law, governance and public policy. His work has focussed on some of India's most consequential constitutional and legal developments, including the Supreme Court's judgments on Article 370, marriage equality, decriminalisation of homosexuality, the Babri Masjid dispute, electoral reforms and judicial appointments. He specialises in making complex legal proceedings and judgments accessible to readers while examining their wider social and political impact. Beyond daily reportage, Utkarsh has led investigative projects and enterprise reporting that have shaped public debate and prompted institutional responses. His work has received several journalism awards, including the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award. As National Legal Editor, he has also played a key role in expanding Hindustan Times' legal journalism footprint, mentoring reporters and strengthening coverage across platforms. A Chevening South Asia Journalism Programme Fellow, Utkarsh regularly writes analyses on the judiciary and constitutional issues, and his reporting is widely followed by lawyers, judges, policymakers, academics and readers seeking clarity on India's evolving legal landscape.Read More