In a significant legal development, Uttarakhand Chief Justice G Narendra has formed a new bench, headed by himself, 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 an extraordinary situation where 16 judges have recused themselves from cases involving Chaturvedi.
The bench, which will also include Justice Subhash Upadhyay, is scheduled to hear the contempt petition against the CAT and its registry members on October 30.
Who is Sanjiv Chaturvedi?
Sanjiv Chaturvedi is a decorated Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer with over two decades of service. He is widely recognized as a crusader against corruption, known for fearlessly challenging powerful political and bureaucratic entities.
Joining the civil service in 2002 and initially posted in Haryana, Chaturvedi first gained national attention for his role in exposing illegal activities such as tree-felling, poaching, and financial irregularities in plantation schemes. His dedication to his work earned him significant support, even from former Presidents Pratibha Patil and Pranab Mukherjee, who intervened six times to protect his service amidst intense political pressure.
Chaturvedi’s reputation as a whistleblower was solidified during his time as Chief Vigilance Officer (CVO) at AIIMS in Delhi, where he brought to light alleged corruption. Despite facing numerous judicial setbacks in his legal battles with government bodies, he has remained committed to his cause.
After transferring to the Uttarakhand cadre, Chaturvedi continued his focus on conservation and transparency. His work in preserving rare Himalayan biodiversity and utilizing AI for climate change research garnered international recognition. Simultaneously, he continued to uncover new irregularities, including a significant encroachment scam within the Mussoorie Forest Division.
His legal endeavors have become as notable as his fieldwork. The unprecedented situation of 16 judges recusing themselves from his cases highlights the contentious nature of his legal battles. Previously, a record of 10 judges recusing themselves from hearing the case of mafia leader Atiq Ahmed was considered remarkable, but Chaturvedi’s situation surpasses this.
The list of recusing judges includes notable names like Justice Ravindra Maithani, Justice Rakesh Thapliyal, and Justice Manoj Kumar Tiwari from the Uttarakhand High Court, bringing the total number of Uttarakhand High Court judges who withdrew from his cases to four. Additionally, 12 other judges, including former Supreme Court Justices U U Lalit and Ranjan Gogoi, also recused themselves. Even the chief judicial magistrate’s court in Nainital stepped back from hearing a criminal case involving him. The roster also includes a division bench of CAT judges, Harvinder Kaur Oberoi and B Anand.
Sanjiv Chaturvedi himself has described this as a “unique record” in India, where such a large number of judges have recused themselves from hearing cases pertaining to a single individual.