Top court said "Judge Focused On Other Things" and gave Relief For Karnataka Officer

IAS officer J Manjunath, who is currently in jail in a very bribery case, said that a number of the observations were made against him without giving him a chance to represent himself.

In a relief for senior Karnataka cop Seemanth Kumar Singh and bureaucrat J Manjunath, the Supreme Court today stayed observations made by Karnataka court calling the previous a "tainted officer" and also the Karnataka Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) a "collection centre".

Chief Justice of India NV Ramana, while directing the judicature to choose on the bail matter afresh, said that those observations were unconnected to the case, and not within the ambit of the proceedings.

"Conduct of the Anti Corruption Branch (ACB) officer is unconnected to the case that was being heard. instead of considering the bail application, the judge focused on other things which can not be relevant and beyond the scope," he said.

Karnataka Additional Director General of Police Seemanth Kumar Singh and Indian Administrative Services officer J Manjunath had moved the highest court seeking expunction of "adverse" remarks of Karnataka judicature judge HP Sandesh which were made during the hearing of a bribery case. They also sought a be the proceedings.

Justice Sandesh had questioned why Mr Manjunath, the then Bengaluru Urban Deputy Commissioner, wasn't made an accused within the bribery case.

Besides adverse oral observations, the HC judge had issued directions starting from seeking reports on prosecution/closure of cases, probed by the ACB, since 2016 and summoning confidential service records of the extra Director General of Police while considering the regular bail application of an accused, the highest court was told by peace officer Tushar Mehta, appearing for the government.

IAS officer J Manjunath, who is currently in jail within the bribery case, said that a number of the observations were made against him without giving him a chance to represent himself.

The plea said, "The court has lost sight of the actual fact that such remarks at nascent stages of investigation have a disastrous touching on the fair probe and judicious conclusion of the criminal proceedings, including his right to remedy of bail," and added that he has been subjected to media trial because of these remarks.

The judge later claimed to possess received a threat of transfer after his remarks.

"Allegations made by the judge are a distinct matter and that we don't need to allow a bearing that we are favouring one side," the CJI said.

The matter is to be heard next after three weeks.