Ex-judge moves high court over complaint against him

NEW DELHI - A retired Delhi court judge Tuesday approached the Delhi High Court seeking direction to its Public Information Officer (PIO) to supply him a copy of the complaint against him on the basis of which it had suspended him two years ago.

Former judge B.S. Mathur, who retired in August last year while under suspension, challenged the Central Information Commission’s (CIC) September 2010 order dismissing his plea on the ground that the supply of information would impede the probe against him.

While hearing Mathur’s appeal against the CIC order, Justice S. Muralidhar issued a notice to high court’s PIO and sought the reply by March 7.

In July 2008, the high court suspended Mathur, who was an additional sessions judge in a district court, to facilitate an inquiry into allegations that he had entered into an agreement with a builder to develop his property.

Filing a petition, Mathur, a former principal secretary (law and justice) in Delhi government, alleged that the high court had failed to supply a copy of any complaint against him or given any reason on the basis of which he was put under suspension.

According to the petition, Mathur said when he had sought copies of the documents relating to the charges against him and the minutes of the inquiry authority under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, the PIO of the high court rejected the application, saying disclosure of such information would obstruct the investigation.

Challenging the PIO’s response to his RTI application, Mathur approached the CIC which in September last year dismissed his plea upholding the information officer’s plea.