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Synopsis

The Central Bureau of Investigation has filed a second corruption case against the former Allahabad High Court judge Justice SN Shukla. This is the second corruption case against Justise SN Shukla after the matter of Lucknow-based Medical Institute.

The first information report (FIR) was submitted on Wednesday, after a written complaint filed by the Deputy Superintendent of Police, CBI, on 20th February 2023.

According to the FIR, Justice Shukla allegedly acquired assets worth Rs. 2,54,56,786 in the names of his wife, Suchita Tiwari, and his first wife's brother, Saideen Tiwari, between 1st April 2014 and 6th December 2019.

In the earlier matter. the CBI registered a FIR on 4th December 2019, after it was handed over to the agency for inquiry. The main charge framed against the former High Court judge is that, in the year 2017 a bench led by him arbitrarily granted relief to two medical colleges that had been barred from admitting students for two years (2017-2019) by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare due to a lack of facilities in May 2017.

Prashad Institute of Medical College initially challenged the decision of Medical Council of India before the Supreme Court. According to the CBI's FIR, a conspiracy was devised, and the case was withdrawn from the Supreme Court. On August 24, 2017, a writ petition was filed before the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court.

The plea stated that Quddusi and BP Yadav of Prasad Trust met with Justice Shukla on the morning of August 25, 2017 at his Lucknow residence, where the bribe is suspected to have been exchanged. According to the CBI, the plea was heard the same day by the high court's division bench, which included Justice SN Shukla, and a favourable ruling was issued.

Former Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra ordered an investigation into the matter of Justice Shukla after receiving a complaint from Uttar Pradesh advocate general Raghvendra Singh alleging judicial malpractice. In January 2018, a three-member committee comprised of then-Madras High Court Chief Justice Indira Banerjee, then-Sikkim High Court Chief Justice SK Agnihotri, and Madhya Pradesh High Court Judge PK Jaiswal found Shukla guilty of judicial irregularities and recommended impeachment to the President of India.

In June 2019, then CJI Justice Ranjan Gogoi sought the impeachment of Justice Shukla, but nothing was done about it.

The CBI began preliminary investigations against the judge in 2017. After receiving permission from CJI Gogoi, the CBI launched criminal proceedings against the judge in 2019, alleging him of accepting unlawful gratification in college-related cases.

However, in the year 2020 Justice Shukla retired from the service.

Complainant – Mr. Surender Kumar Rohilla

Accused – Mr. S.N.Shukla, Mrs. Suchita Tiwari, Mr. Saideen Tiwari

Statutes – Indian Penal Code 1860 and Prevention of Corruption Act 1988