The Newshour Debate: Secret PMO Note out - Part 1 (22nd July 2014)

After former SC judge Markandey Katju alleged that three ex-Chief Justices of India had allowed a judge under corruption cloud to continue in office, TIMES NOW unearths sensational secret PMO note on the controversial appointment. TIMES NOW accesses former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's secret note to then Law Minister HR Bhardwaj on 'tainted' judge's promotion. The secret note reveals that Manmohan Singh had personally intervened on the issue of 'tainted' judge. Manmohan Singh in the secret PMO note demanded an explanation as to why the 'tainted' judge was not recommended. This is a never seen before, never acknowledged before note that nails the former PM's complicity.
Former PM Manmohan Singh refused to comment on the claim by Katju that three ex-CJIs made "improper compromises" during UPA rule in retaining a judge in TN under corruption cloud. When contacted for a reaction, Singh said he has nothing to say as former Law Minister H R Bhardwaj has already clarified the issue. Bharadwaj earlier insisted that no "undue favours" were given to the judge because proper procedure was followed. "So far as political threats to a coalition government is concerned there were always pressure(from allies) onappointment of judges which I never yielded," he said.
Former SC judge Markandey Katju yesterday (July 21) created a furore alleging that three ex-Chief Justices of India -- Justice Lahoti, Justices Y K Sabharwal and K G Balakrishnanhad -- made "improper compromises" and "succumbed" to political pressure in the extension of an unnamed additional judge of Madras High Court at the instance of UPA-I government owing to pressure from an ally, a "Tamil Nadu party", apparently DMK, and his confirmation as permanent judge. Katju said when he was heading the Madras High Court he got many reports that the additional judge concerned was allegedly indulging in corruption prompting him to request the then CJI Justice Lahoti to get a secret IB inquiry made. He claimed that the IB report found the allegations to be true and said the judge should have been sacked.As Katju, who is now Chairman of the Press Council of India, stood firm on his allegation, AIADMK members protested in Parliament for the second straight day and demanded that the DMK minister who was behind the move to retain the judge during the UPA rule be named. Justice Lahoti is quoted as having said that he has never done anything wrong in his life and that everything is a matter of record while Justice Balakrishnan rejected the allegation against him as "completely baseless and not factually correct". DMK slammed Katju for his allegation, calling it "wild and baseless".
In a debate moderated by TIMES NOW's Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami, panelists -- Justice Markandey Katju, Chairman, Press Council of India & Former Judge, SC; Ram Jethmalani, Sr. Advocate, Supreme Court; Soli Sorabjee, Former Attorney General -- discuss whether with the #SecretPMONote expose, Justice Katju has been proven right.

[@rutvijso]

Let us appreciate this Arnab's episode where the panelists aren't speaking over one another and patiently waiting for their turn.

[@sidhartharay9781]

Probably the only Arnab Goswami debate to have such a level of sobriety

[@tanishqsachdeva4260]

It's the integrity of the people in the discussion that maintained the decorem. They are eminent jurists.so credit doesn't go to Arnab goswami

[@rutvijso]

@@tanishqsachdeva4260 I said appreciate the episode. Not Arnab.

[@abhishekscm]

because panelists were not some party spokesmen, big people use to come on tv debates those days

[@siddheshborkar52]

That’s because they are all lawyers

[@sunnygangar6034]

For the first time I saw Arnab behaving in absolute professional way.

[@rajkaushal2737]

he should because the person he has called are his fathers father in all fom knowledge,age and experience.

[@ajazkhattak9156]

Mr katju a brave man.

[@bhagwatvasu2867]

Brave man what was he doing then

[@rahul84358]

Katju is right

[@AlokSingh-tz7gu]

Every indian politician need to see this how to debate by your time this is actually a kind of standard of education. Ramji you're in my heartforever

[@ultimatetraveler]

Afterall Ram Jethmalani is a Legend 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🇮🇳

[@wasimahmed7337]

All three of them've put on the similar kind of shirt.

[@vinodnarayanswamy]

Wasim Ahmed tullae listen what they speak

[@Nikhilkumar-on8vg]

Justice Kathu dared to speak.
The other two people sitting there would be knowing a lot many things but they will never speak.
Who doesn't know about corruption in judiciary but do they ever speak?

[@muneshkumar-fo3ol]

Mr . Katju is absolutely intellectual personality

[@sharadwardhan]

Egoistic Anchor, throw him out of media industry

[@rajkaushal2737]

that time he was not egoist.now he is.

[@prabhuslegalhub]

Its just ab absolute treat watching such fine gentlemen discuss something.. While I might have not liked to see them argue with each other, it is a very educational experience to see the lm deliberate as such

[@arunreddy2947]

Why no one questioning then CJI whom respected judge Katju reported, why he didn’t act on it .

[@tachobinsi9948]

Just here for the three legend on panel..

[@suryapratap9913]

If only he ( Justice Katju ) had intuition of what happened in 2017

[@globaltrustparty4386]

No one fights for Truth. Only interested in money.

[@hritik25m19]

Ram Jethmalani 🙏🙏🙏

[@bhanwarjadon2426]

How come Father.cousin and himself all.Highcout judges? Misuse of collegium

[@pavitsohal6067]

When wise men sit before him ofcourse he can't play the fool he his.

[@anuragankur7260]

Now this crook anchor can't see eye to eye with soli sorabjee Or late jethmalaani saab if alive

[@rajdeepsinghcheema2551]

Katju is most honest man

[@Rishi.N.Mathur]

Justice Katju is absolutely right ..he had to maintain a decoram as a Judge...

[@AmanSingh-qp9rx]

Mr. Judge did correct because what he was seeking is correction of malpractice but if the complain is not enough to CJI he should have gone further to public domain... Ultimately what matters is the ultimate result.
He resisted doing so in the name of ethics but ethics is to be followed everything is operating in a normalcy not like the situation which was prevailing.

[@jayajumar4187]

Since judiciary says collegium system preserve doctrine of separation so that it wanted collegium.but layman can understand most of judges have been appointed on the influence political power which rules time to time.It ashamed to Doctrine of separation and Democracy.

[@bhagwatraonarnaware5358]

Judicial

[@samuelkingsley1490]

Justice katju a great man of honour , integrity and dignity

[@ProfArunkumarDubey]

Arnab roasted him to our satisfaction.

[@sanjunair6385]

if judges are so arrogant god save the judiciary

[@VinayTiwari-hr4qq]

Hahahahhahahahhahah

[@azimrizvi7035]

Arnav you are only trying to grind your own axe

[@alois_hitler]

Nani should have been there

[@globaltrustparty4386]

What have you people done to clear backlog cases pending in Indian Courts?. No one gets the justice in Indian Courts and it takes more than 30 years or more.

[@hiheloByby6902]

Stfp clown

[@dhanapalktdhanu7906]

Sub kho money chahiye money ustime uska value kimmath kithna memmory se socho bhool gaya yaadh tho dhilwaadhenge

[@Nikhilkumar-on8vg]

Lawyers who run after money couldn't have questioned moral courage of Katju who has been outright brave daring and willing tk stand alone on a lot many issues

[@mohammedahmedullah7173]

Katju is correct

[@alam4274]

Mr Katju is correct.

[@hemchandrasingh8065]

Manipurisongs

[@kcpadhiaripadhiari9395]

Katju is a full time joker.He has sense of joking to his bone.