In a significant development in the Indian judicial system, Uttarakhand Chief Justice G Narendra has formed a new bench to hear a contempt petition filed by senior Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer Sanjiv Chaturvedi against the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT). This comes in the wake of a remarkable situation where 16 judges have recused themselves from cases involving Chaturvedi.
The bench, headed by the Chief Justice himself, will be joined by Justice Subhash Upadhyay. They are scheduled to hear the contempt petition against the CAT and its registry on October 30.
Who is Sanjiv Chaturvedi?
Sanjiv Chaturvedi is a distinguished officer of the Indian Forest Service (IFS) with over two decades of experience in public service. He has earned a reputation as a fervent advocate against corruption, courageously confronting powerful political and bureaucratic figures throughout his career.
A 2002 batch officer, Chaturvedi initially served in Haryana, where he rose to prominence by exposing significant irregularities, including illegal tree felling, poaching activities, and financial mismanagement in plantation projects. His commitment to transparency often placed him under immense political pressure, yet he received crucial support from higher authorities, including notable interventions from former Presidents Pratibha Patil and Pranar Mukherjee, which helped safeguard his service tenure.
Chaturvedi’s integrity was further highlighted during his tenure as Chief Vigilance Officer (CVO) at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi, where he brought alleged corruption to light, earning him recognition as a whistleblower. Despite facing numerous legal challenges and repeated setbacks in his battles with government agencies, he has remained steadfast.
Later, Chaturvedi transferred to the Uttarakhand cadre, where he continued his dedication to conservation efforts and promoting transparency. His work has extended to protecting endangered Himalayan biodiversity and utilizing AI for climate change impact studies, garnering international acclaim. Simultaneously, he has continued to uncover new instances of misconduct, such as a major encroachment scam within the Mussoorie Forest Division.
Chaturvedi’s legal journey is as notable as his fieldwork. The sheer number of judicial recusals in his cases—a total of 16 judges, including former Supreme Court Justices U.U. Lalit and Ranjan Gogoi, as well as Uttarakhand High Court judges like Justice Ravindra Maithani, Justice Rakesh Thapliyal, and Justice Manoj Kumar Tiwari—sets a unique precedent. Even the Chief Judicial Magistrate’s court in Nainital recused itself from hearing a criminal case involving him. A division bench of CAT judges, Harvinder Kaur Oberoi and B. Anand, also recused themselves. Chaturvedi himself points out that this is an unparalleled record in the country, especially when compared to the 10 judges who recused themselves in the case of mafia leader Atiq Ahmed.