Retired Madras high court judge Justice K Chandru, whose famous case of a tribal woman fighting against custodial killing of her husband inspired the making of the latest blockbuster film “Jai Bheem,” has come to the defence of YSR Congress party president and Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy in the latter’s fight against a section of judiciary.
Addressing a meeting on Friday on the occasion of World’s Human Rights Day, Justice Chandru explained in detail how Jagan has been fighting a battle against judiciary in Andhra Pradesh on various issues.
He said the Jagan government had been fighting not against the opposition parties, but with the judiciary itself.
He charged the Andhra Pradesh high court with terrorising the state government so much so that the latter had to repeal the three capitals bill.
He wondered how two judges could be part of the full bench of the high court hearing the petitions against three capitals, when they owned plots in Amaravati.
He also found fault with the CBI for filing cases against social media activists and arresting them, just because they questioned the courts.
In fact, this is not the first time that Justice Chandru came to the defence of the Jagan Mohan Reddy government.
On November 25 itself, he wrote an article in The Hindu, making strong comments against the judiciary in AP after the Jagan government took back the three capitals bill.
He attacked the previous Telugu Desam Party government led by N Chandrababu Naidu for taking up construction of the capital city at Amaravati in the fertile lands, despite protests from farmers.
He said even the high court approved setting up the judicial infrastructure at Amaravati despite protests.
Chandru also referred to Jagan’s inquiry into Amaravati land scam case, involving former advocate general and family members of the then Supreme Court judge, the gag order against the media by the state high court, staying of the SIT probe by Justice D V S S Somayajulu etc.
Justice Chandru pointed out how the high court bench comprising Justice Satyanaryana Murthy and Kanneganti Lalitha ordered the CBI probe into the a telephonic conversation allegedly about a plot against the chief justice and a sitting judge of the Supreme Court.
“The inquiry was to be headed by a retired Supreme Court Judge Justice R.V. Raveendran, to verify the authenticity of the conversation. It is interesting that Justice Raveendran has been appointed by Chief Justice of India Justice N V Ramana,” he pointed out.
He also referred to the comment made by then judge Justice Rakesh Kumar that there was a constitutional breakdown in the state.
“It is unheard of for a court to make a mention about bringing President's Rule in a case between the state and an individual,” Justice Chandru said.
The retired judge alleged that though Jagan had written to then CJI asking for an inquiry into the role of the Supreme Court judge, who, according to him, was Involved in a scam.
“However, no such in-house enquiry was ordered,” he pointed out.
He reminded that Justice Satyanarayana Murthy and Justice Somayajulu, who were allotted plots by the previous government, are part of the three-member bench hearing the three capital issues.
“That is why, the Jagan government sought to repeal the bill,” he added.
