‘Scandalous and Contemptuous’: Allahabad HC Dismisses Plea Levelling Bribery Allegation Against Trial Judge
The Allahabad High Court (Lucknow Bench) recently dismissed a plea by former LACFEDD Managing Director Brahma Prakash Singh seeking transfer of a money laundering trial on allegations that the special judge demanded a Rs. 1 crore bribe for his acquittal.
The bench of Justice Subhash Vidyarthi said that the allegations were not only false and vague but also appeared to be a calculated attempt to delay judicial proceedings. Singh, who is facing trial under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) based on a 2018 Enforcement Directorate (ED) complaint, had approached the high court under Article 226 of the Constitution challenging the sessions court’s refusal to transfer the case.
Court noted that Singh had been convicted earlier in a corruption case and was currently out on bail during the pendency of his appeal. The bribery allegation against the special judge surfaced for the first time in December 2024—nearly three months after the alleged demand was made in court, and notably after the trial court had passed multiple orders against him.
“Apparently, the transfer application has been devised to avoid facing trial before the court,” the high court observed.
The sessions judge, who earlier rejected Singh’s transfer request, had sought comments from the trial judge. The latter outright denied the bribery allegations, stating that no such interaction could have occurred without the presence of court staff and prosecutors. He also accused Singh and his counsel of trying to mount pressure on the court and disrupt proceedings.
Singh’s counsel, who admitted to receiving the alleged bribe demand by the special judge, told the high court that he delayed reporting it to avoid conflict with a judicial officer. However, the high court found this explanation implausible and inconsistent with conduct expected from a legal professional.
What drew even sharper judicial rebuke were Singh’s allegations against a sitting high court judge. The transfer application claimed that Justice Rajesh Singh Chauhan had deliberately refused to pass an interim order in a Section 482 CrPC plea, even though the petition had merit. Justice Vidyarthi termed these claims “scandalous and contemptuous,” reiterating the Supreme Court’s precedent that statements recorded in judicial orders cannot be questioned by extraneous evidence.
“I find myself in complete agreement with the view taken by the learned sessions judge,” the bench held, adding that Singh’s writ petition lacked merit and deserved outright dismissal.
Case Title: Brahma Prakash Singh vs. State of UP and 2 Others
Download judgment here