Angry Jharkhand CJ rejects his security

When Jharkhand High Court Chief Justice V K Gupta today went to the court from his residence, he wasn’t escorted by any security person...

When Jharkhand High Court Chief Justice V K Gupta today went to the court from his residence, he wasn’t escorted by any security personnel. His pilot, the escort party and even the personal security officer (PSO) were missing. He had sent all of them away.

In fact, the root of the problem is the PSO of ASI rank, Markande Bandra, who sits in the front seat of the CJ’s car and suffers from a knee problem. It takes him a few minutes to get into the car and move out, if required. In times of emergency this can pose a problem.

For this reason, Justice Gupta had sought a replacement last week. His principal secretary, Krishna Murari, had approached SP (Security) Prashant Kumar on Saturday. ‘‘Kumar assured me he had moved the file to the IG. Later, he promised that the PSO would be replaced soon,’’ Murari told he Indian Express. ‘‘But the PSO wasn’t replaced till Wednesday.’’

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Justice Gupta took offence and instructed the High Court Registrar General, Ibrar Hassan, to write to DGP R.R.Prasad, informing him that his securitymen should consider themselves removed from duty with immediate effect.

Hassan, in his letter to Prasad yesterday, said: ‘‘The aforesaid attitude perhaps gives an impression that the state government considers provision of security to the honourable Chief Justice as a burden and as a dispensable exercise.

The honourable Chief Justice does not wish to be a burden on the state government. He has therefore directed to dispense with the entire security appratus provided to his lordship.’’

Today, Hassan despatched yet another letter to the DGP. ‘‘I am directed to request you to kindly remove the house guards posted at the residence of the Chief Justice at Kanke Road, Ranchi,’’ he wrote.

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No one in the government was prepared to comment on the matter. Neither SP (Security) Kumar, nor IG (Security) G S Rath was available for comment. When contacted by The Indian Express this morning, DGP Prasad acknowledged that he had received Hassan’s letters but declined to talk about them.

Chief Secretary V S Dubey met the CJ in his office chamber this afternoon but what transpired between them is not known.

Chief Justice Gupta has been in the news recently for pulling up about two dozen government officials and six state ministers, including Chief Minister Babulal Marandi, on some or other aspect of the law.