Date:15/01/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/01/15/stories/2004011507191300.htm

National

Lawyer's clarification

A. Raghunath, Advocate-on-Record, Supreme Court of India, writes:

There is an article appearing in your edition 9th January, 2004 under the heading "Supreme Court rejects plea for CBI probe into Naidu's assets" written by Mr. J. Venkatesan. This article ascribes the following comments to the judges, purportedly made in response to a report of Professor James Manor:-

"It is good you brought the report to our notice. You cannot make such a general statement against the judiciary though there may be one or two judges."

I was also present in court and was being led by Mr. Harish Salve, senior Advocate. I have consulted Mr. Salve — neither of us recall the judges suggesting that there could be even one or two judges who would be amenable to this — on the contrary what was observed was that generalized statements should not be made and the judges of the Hon'ble Supreme Court have full faith in the judges of the High Court.

You would appreciate that the aforesaid comments impinges on the credibility of the High Court and it is therefore necessary that this erroneous impression reflected in the aforesaid article be corrected.