Congress leader Rahul Gandhi took a shot at the central government this morning as he made a comment on the transfer of Justice S Muralidhar, the third highest judge of the Delhi High Court, to the Punjab and Haryana High Court, on Wednesday. The transfer order came on a day when Justice Muralidhar made some sharp observations in the high court amid violence in parts of Delhi over controversial citizenship law that has killed at least 32 people this week.
"Remembering the brave Judge Loya, who wasn't transferred," the 49-year-old Congress leader tweeted, referring to Justice BH Loya, whose death in 2014, while he was hearing the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter killing case in which Amit Shah was an accused, became a huge political controversy.
Mr Gandhi's tweet came amid growing criticism over transfer of Justice S Muralidhar.
On Wednesday, Justice Muralidhar had questioned the central and state government over violence in northeast Delhi that broke out on Sunday and spiraled in the coming days, killing at least 32 people and injuring over 200. "We cannot let another 1984-like event happen in this country," he had said.
He was hearing was a petition seeking First Information Reports (FIRs) against those who incited and participated in the violence in northeast Delhi. The bench also had videos of hate speeches by four BJP leaders - Kapil Mishra, Anurag Thakur, Abhay Verma and Parvesh Verma - played in court.
Congres's Priyanka Gandhi also targeted the government over the timing of transfer. "The midnight transfer of Justice Muralidhar isn't shocking given the current dispensation, but it is certianly sad & shameful. Millions of Indians have faith in a resilient & upright judiciary, the government's attempts to muzzle justice & break their faith are deplorable," she tweeted.
The notification on the transfer of Justice Muralidhar was issued around 11 pm on Wednesday night by the central government, about two weeks after it was recommended by the Supreme Court collegium on February 12.
The transfer notification does not give any time frame for the judge to join his new post, which was seen to infer that he should do so immediately. Such transfer orders usually give judges 14 days to join.
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