Rajasthan HC Acting CJ Denies Allegations, Calls Them Baseless

Rajasthan High Court Acting Chief Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma has broken his silence over allegations of misconduct, issuing his first public statement on Wednesday. He categorically denied all accusations, describing them as baseless and rooted in personal animosity.

In a statement delivered in Hindi, Justice Sharma said, "I deny all these allegations. All the allegations are baseless and have been made by the Honorable Judge ranjish vash (animosity)." He added that he has already submitted his response to Supreme Court Justice Surya Kant, refuting the claims with evidence.

The allegations were made by Justice Sandeep Mehta in a series of letters to the Chief Justice of India, dated August 2, 10, and 17. Justice Mehta accused Justice Sharma of misusing his powers and raised questions about his integrity, calling for his transfer and the appointment of a new Chief Justice.

Justice Sharma appealed to the media and legal fraternity to exercise patience until the Chief Justice of India reaches a decision. "I have complete faith in the Indian judicial system," he said, promising to present his case personally to the media once the Chief Justice approves.

The controversy has triggered protests from lawyers' associations in Rajasthan. In Jaipur, lawyers staged a demonstration outside Justice Sharma's court on August 31, while associations in Jodhpur announced a strike demanding his removal from judicial and administrative duties.

On August 31, the Supreme Court Collegium recommended Justice Sanjay K Agarwal of the Chhattisgarh High Court as the next Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court. Justice Sharma has reportedly proceeded on leave, with no sittings scheduled for him at the Jaipur Bench from September 1 to 5.