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‘Can’t work against my self-respect’: Bombay HC judge resigns in courtroom
Justice Rohit Deo of the Bombay High Court's Nagpur bench resigned in open court, citing personal reasons and a need to preserve his self-respect.
I can’t work against my self-respect, justice Rohit Deo of the Bombay high court’s Nagpur bench said as he resigned in an open court on Friday. He was due to retire on December 4, 2025.
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Announcing his resignation in the courtroom, justice Deo told lawyers to continue to work hard and apologised for being strict with them on certain occasions.
“I apologise to each one of you who are present in the court. I scolded you because I want you to improve. I don’t want to hurt any of you because you all are like a family to me and I am sorry to tell you that I have submitted my resignation. I can’t work against my self-respect,” he said.
“My letter of resignation was sent to the President of the country. I resigned from the service following personal reasons,” he added. After the announcement, all the matters listed before Justice Deo for the day stood discharged.
Justice Deo was appointed as an additional judge in June 2017 when he was Maharashtra’s advocate general. He was elevated as a permanent judge in April 2019.
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During his tenure in the high court, justice Deo has led several key judgments.
On July 26, Justice Deo stayed the operation of a Maharashtra government resolution that empowered the state government to cancel punitive proceedings initiated against contractors working on the Samruddhi Mahamarg over alleged illegal excavation of minor minerals.
On October 14, 2022, he acquitted former Delhi University professor G N Saibaba in an alleged Maoist links case, saying that the sessions court order of convicting Saibaba was “null and void” in the absence of a valid sanction under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act. The Supreme Court, however, stayed the acquittal on April 19, 2023 and remanded it to the high court for fresh consideration on merits within four months.
