Justice Revati Mohite-Dere, who is set to take over as Chief Justice of the Meghalaya High Court later this week, served over 12 years as Bombay HC judge since June, 2013. She delivered key verdicts pulling up Police, Central agencies and passed directives to protect personal liberty of people from various sections.
“For me, the judiciary was never just a profession, it was a calling. The chance to protect rights, uphold the constitution and impact lives in a meaningful way was deeply inspiring,” the judge said while addressing full court farewell reference organised for her on Wednesday at Bombay HC.
She also said lawyers should “speak truth to power, challenge injustice and stand firmly for the voiceless.”
Known for being a judge with “soft voice and iron resolve,” Justice Mohite Dere initiated a suo motu plea after the 2024 Badlapur sexual assault case, compelling the Maharashtra government to issue directives for student safety.
Her bench repeatedly slammed Maharashtra police over the probe into the “encounter” death of an accused in Badlapur case, and ordered FIR against the cops. In October, last year, she ordered compensation for pothole deaths and injuries.
Through orders over recent years, Justice Mohite Dere expressed displeasure over the probe into forging of 880 maps in Madh Island; Police compelling doctors to reveal identities of minor girls seeking pregnancy termination; “shameful” delays in acting against “digital arrest” scam against senior citizens among others.
Her bench also ordered CBI probe into Rs 3,000 crore fraud allegations against Jai Corp Ltd director and the Supreme Court appreciated the “courage” shown by the judges.
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In September 2024, the HC transferred probe into Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Abhishek Ghosalkar’s murder to CBI. In August 2024, unhappy with the police probe, the HC formed an SIT for the demolition drive at Powai’s Jai Bhim Nagar colony. In August, that year Justice Mohite Dere pulled up Satara police for action against a professor who cited late activist Govind Pansare’s book to pacify students attacking another professor over a speech.
In April 2024, her bench deprecated ED for post-midnight questioning of senior citizen, emphasising on “right to sleep” and in another matter directed probe into BJP MLA Nitesh Rane’s “hate” speeches.
She also dealt with rights of women and children, prisoners, marginalised communities and animals among others.
Last month, a bench led by Justice Mohite Dere expressed concerns over deaths of infants and women in Melghat and ordered prioritised appointment of specialised doctors.
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In February 2021, rejecting an appeal by a man convicted of hammer-killing his wife, she observed that a “wife is not chattel or object” and medieval notions of her as husband’s property persist.
In July last year, a bench led by her ordered transfer of the ‘Mahadevi’ elephant from Kolhapur to Gujarat’s Vantara, prioritising its welfare over religious use. Justice Mohite Dere-led bench also formed a panel for a social audit of 30 BMC-run maternity and nursing homes.
In December 2024, she suggested designated rooms in state guest houses across districts as safe houses for inter-caste or inter-faith couples facing threats and a year earlier suggested a panel for guidelines to sensitise police on LGBTQIA+ cases.
Justice Mohite Dere played key role in reforms at observation home for children in Dongri and close monitoring of facilities at district courts and also visited various prisons before deciding on inmates’ issues.
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Bombay HC bench led by Justice Mohite Dere allowed 31-year-old to terminate 25-week consensual pregnancy in June, last year after partner’s withdrawal and ordered him to pay Rs 1 lakh. In February 2025, the judge permitted termination of 35-year-old’s 25-week pregnancy at private hospital citing “utmost urgency” despite 24-week rule.
Dealing with several key criminal cases, in 2024, Justice Mohite Dere upheld death sentence for a Kolhapur man who disembowelled and ate his mother’s body parts in 2017. She also upheld life term for self-proclaimed tantrik convicted of raping six minor girls.
In the same year, her bench rejected CBI’s plea to stay the ‘Indrani Mukerjea Story: Buried Truth’ docuseries, quashed lookout circulars (LOCs) against Rhea Chakraborty and her family in the Sushant Singh Rajput case.
Hearing ex-ICICI CEO Chanda Kochhar’s plea, Justice Mohite Dere in 2023, questioned CBI over conviction rates in cases registered by CBI.
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In 2024, her bench set aside acquittal to ex-cop Pradeep Sharma in the 2006 Mumbai fake encounter and ordered life sentence. In 2023, dismissing Sharma’s bail plea in Antilia bomb scare case, she questioned NIA probe and his presence at then-Mumbai CP Param Bir Singh’s office in March 2021. SC later granted bail to Sharma in the case.
Justice Mohite Dere was also part of the bench allowing women into Haji Ali dargah’s inner sanctum in 2016, and a division bench of 2019 upholding death for Shakti Mills gang rape accused. In January 2018, she quashed a trial court media gag in the Sohrabuddin Shaikh “fake”encounter case, calling the press “society’s most powerful watchdog.”
