Skip to main content

Need to investigate Kalikho Pul's suicide note by SIT of 5 senior judges who are not mentioned in it

Counterview Desk
Statement by Campaign for Judicial Accountability and Reforms (CJAR) on the suicide note of former Arunachal Pradesh CM Kalikho Pul:
Kalikho Pul was the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh who was unseated on account of a judgment of the Supreme Court, which quashed the imposition of President’s Rule in Arunachal Pradesh and restored status quo ante. He committed suicide on 9th August 2016.
Immediately after his suicide a 60 page suicide note/diary was discovered. This note was signed on every page by Kalikho Pul and the last page is dated 08th August 2016, the day on which he committed suicide.
The contents of this 60 page note with redactions of some of the names contained in it, have been published by various media outlets in the country. They contain very serious allegations of corruption especially in the highest judiciary of India. Though it is not necessary that all the allegations contained in the note even those which are made from his personal knowledge are factually correct, yet a suicide note is treated like a dying declaration and needs to be taken very seriously.
The former Governor of Arunachal Mr. Raj Khowa has repeatedly said that the allegations are very serious and need thorough investigation preferably by the CBI. In our view too the allegations contained in the note are indeed very serious and merit an in-depth investigation, so that the rumours and speculations which are swirling around are finally put to rest.
Unfortunately the publication of the note with redacted names has fueled further speculation about the names which are contained in the note. We are therefore publishing the entire note (without any redactions) so that the true facts about the contents of the note are brought before the people which are essential in public interest. The contents of the note do raise serious questions about corruption in the judiciary and judicial accountability and independence.
It is surprising that despite the strong recommendation of the former Governor of Arunachal, the government did not take steps to have the matter investigated by an impartial body. In our view it would not be appropriate for such a sensitive matter to be investigated by an investigative agency under the control of the government. We therefore feel that this needs to be investigated by a SIT setup by a committee/bench of 5 senior most judges who are not mentioned in the suicide note.
---
Click HERE for the suicide note, forwarded by CJAR to Counterview

Comments

TRENDING

RG Kar saga: Towards liberation from the constraints of rigid political parties?

By Atanu Roy*  There's a saying: "There is no such thing as a half-pregnancy." This adage seems particularly relevant when discussing the current regime of the Trinamool Congress (TMC). The party appears to be entrenched in widespread corruption that affects nearly every aspect of our lives. One must wonder, why would they exclude the health sector—a lucrative area where illicit money can flow freely, thanks to a network of corrupt leaders colluding with ambitious bureaucrats? 

India's 55.6% still can't afford healthy diet, yet food wastage a serious issue

By Vikas Meshram  According to this year's 'State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World' report, India has the highest number of malnourished people in the world, with a staggering 195 million affected. This report, prepared by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, was published jointly by five UN agencies, including UNICEF. The report also highlights a slight improvement in India's statistics: between 2004-06, the number of malnourished people in the country was 240 million. 

TU activist Anirudh Rajan, lawyer Ajay Kumar in custody: Wounded reputation of world's largest democracy?

By Vedika S*  Over the last few days, India's National Investigation Agency (NIA), known to be tasked with suppressing revolutionary, democratic, and progressive forces, conducted a series of raids across Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi. Targets included human rights attorney Pankaj Tripathi, student leader Devendra Azad, and peasant union leader Sukhwinder Kaur. Lawyer and anti-displacement activist Ajay Kumar was arrested and taken to his home in Mohali, which was subsequently raided. He is now imprisoned in Lucknow as a suspect in the NIA's "Northern Regional Bureau (NRB) Revival case." 

A Hindu alternative to Valentine's Day? 'Shiv-Parvati was first love marriage in Universe'

By Rajiv Shah*   The other day, I was searching on Google a quote on Maha Shivratri which I wanted to send to someone, a confirmed Shiv Bhakt, quite close to me -- with an underlying message to act positively instead of being negative. On top of the search, I chanced upon an article in, imagine!, a Nashik Corporation site which offered me something very unusual. 

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

Damaging signal sent to various levels of judiciary? Modi at religious function at CJI's residence

Counterview Desk  The civil rights group, National Alliance for Justice, Accountability and Rights (NAJAR), has expressed its "grave concern" over the Prime Minister’s recent presence at a religious event at the Chief Justice of India's residence, underlining, "Independence of Judiciary from Executive must be ensured in all circumstances".

Impact of global warming? Asia's 61% population 'deprived of clean water'

By Vikas Meshram*  A recent study from Utrecht University in the Netherlands warns that climate change and socio-economic transformations will exacerbate water scarcity, disproportionately affecting populations in South Asian countries. Human beings require clean water for drinking, sanitation, food production, energy, and manufacturing. Across the globe, people and policymakers are grappling with the challenges of water scarcity. 

Trailblazer in literary innovation, critic of Indian mythology, including Ramayana

By Harsh Thakor*  Ranganayakamma, commonly known as RN, stands out as a transformative figure in promoting Marxist thought, democratic ideals, and anti-caste principles through her remarkably clear and engaging writing style. A trailblazer in literary innovation, her works span a broad array of topics, from critiques of Indian mythology and revivalism to discussions on civil liberties, the Indian Communist Movement, and Maoism in China. 

In the name of Allah? There is 'troubling history' of mismanagement and exploitation of Waqf lands

By Firoz Bakht Ahmed*  Amidst ongoing controversy regarding the Government of India's initiative to introduce legislation aimed at "regulating" Waqf properties through digitization, it remains evident that there is a troubling history of mismanagement and exploitation of Waqf lands.