The Advocates’ Association, Bengaluru (AAB), took significant action on Monday by writing a letter to Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud following a disturbing incident. A ransom threat was received, targeting the lives of four serving and two former judges of the Karnataka High Court.
According to The Indian Express, the High Court’s Public Relations Officer, K Muralidhar, received a WhatsApp message on July 12, demanding a ransom of ₹50 lakh. The threatening message warned that if the money was not deposited in Allied Bank in Pakistan, the lives of the six judges would be in danger. The judges named in the threat were Justices Mohammad Nawaz, HT Narendra Prasad, HP Sandesh, K Natarajan, and former judges Justices Ashok G Nijagannavar and B Veerappa.
The Advocates’ Association expressed grave concern about these incidents and highlighted the potential ramifications of allowing such threats to flourish. They emphasized that external interference with judicial institutions poses a serious threat to the independence of courts. To maintain a bold and fearless judgeship, essential for safeguarding the independence of the judiciary, they called for a review of the current system of judges’ protection to ensure it can effectively address modern-day challenges.
The letter stressed that if the judiciary is susceptible to such threats, public confidence in the institution could diminish significantly. To address these issues promptly, the AAB requested CJI Chandrachud to take the initiative and initiate a suo motu public interest litigation (PIL). This legal action would help bring the offenders to justice and guarantee adequate protection for judges, reassuring the public of the judiciary’s integrity and independence.