Professional Documents
Culture Documents
of the last 16 Chief Justices have been is allowed against judges, there is no
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Rajya Sabha MP
On 1 April 1991 and 9 September 1991, curative petition filed by the CBI even 14
Justice KN Singh allowed two Civil years after that judgment.
Appeals of Jain Exports regarding the Justice Ahmadi then went on to deal with
import of caustic soda and reduced the and pass several orders in the Union
import duty payable by the company from Carbide case involving the setting up of a
92 percent to 10 percent. Both these orders hospital from the sale proceeds of Union
were subsequently reviewed and set aside. Carbide India Limited’s shares held by
On 28 November 1991, (during his 18 day Union Carbide Corporation, USA.
tenure as CJI) Justice Singh dismissed the In fact, he passed the orders releasing the
appeal of Union of India against Jain amount of Rs. 187 crore for the
Shudh Vanaspati in a case involving the construction of the hospital from the
import of edible oil in stainless steel attached funds of Union Carbide. Quite
containers (the import of which was remarkably, after having dealt with these
banned), which were fraudulently painted cases of Union Carbide, Justice Ahmadi
over to disguise them as mild steel (soon after his retirement) went on to
containers. This order was reviewed and become the lifetime Chairman of the same
set aside on 16 July 1993 by a bench of hospital trust whose case he had
Justice JS Verma and PB Sawant. extensively dealt with as Chief Justice.
All these orders of Justice KN Singh in the A Supreme Court bench headed by Justice
Jain Exports and Jain Shudh Vanaspati Kuldip Singh had, on 10 May 1996,
cases were widely understood and passed an order staying all construction
regarded as having been passed for corrupt within 5 km of Badkal and Surajkund
considerations. They became a much lakes in Faridabad for environmental
talked about scandal in the Court, even reasons. This order prevented any
while he was Chief Justice. construction in plots in a development
AM AHMADI called Kant Enclave, which is adjoining
25.10.1994 - 24.03.1997 Surajkund lake and on land which had
been notified as Forest Land under S4 of
the Punjab Land Preservation Act.
Being forest land, no construction was
permissible on this land without the prior
permission of the Union Ministry of
Environment and Forests, and also without
the permission of the Supreme Court by
CHIEF JUSTICE AM Ahmadi, who virtue of the orders of the Court in the
succeeded Justice Venkatachalaiah (who Godavarman case.
was widely respected and regarded as a Despite this, however, Justice Ahmadi,
judge of great integrity), went on to quash who was as this time the Chief Justice of
the charge of culpable homicide in the the Court, went on to purchase plots in this
criminal case arising out of the Bhopal Gas development around this time and also
leak. Seven benches were changed during went on thereafter to construct one of the
the hearing of this case, the only common first houses on this (a palatial house where
judge in all these benches was Justice he has lived since his retirement) in
Ahmadi who was Chief Justice and violation of the orders of the Court and the
constituting the benches. Forest Conservation Act.
This judgment of quashing the charge of
culpable homicide before the trial not only He bought land, built a house in Kant
delayed the trial but led to such Enclave in Surajkund. The court had
3
plot of land
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