New Delhi, July 31: In a first, Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi has allowed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to register an FIR against a sitting high court judge, Justice SN Shukla, in connection with a corruption case. This is an unprecedented move by CJI Ranjan Gogoi as this will be the first time that a sitting judge will be investigated by the CBI.

On July 25, 1991, the apex court in the K Veeraswamy case had barred any investigating agency from registering a case against a sitting Supreme Court or High Court judge without the permission of the Chief Justice of India. Justice SN Shukla, an Allahabad High Court judge, is accused of favouring a private medical college for MBBS admissions in violation of a Supreme Court order. Unnao Rape Victim's Letter to CJI Ranjan Gogoi, Written Days Before Her Accident, Surfaces.

The Supreme Court had barred the Allahabad High Court from allowing the Lucknow-based GCRG Institute of Medical Science to admit students for the 2017-18 session. The top court issued the order after the central government had banned the private college after the institute failed to meet several required criteria. Despite the Supreme Court's order, Justice Shukla allegedly made handwritten changes in his own bench's order in favour of the college. CJI Ranjan Gogoi Writes to PM Narendra Modi, Seeks Increase in Number of Supreme Court Judges.

The Supreme Court, however, had struck down the revised order of the Allahabad High Court after an appeal by the Medical Council of India. On a complaint against Justice Shukla in 2017, then Chief Justice Misra had set up a panel of judges to investigate whether Justice Shukla granted favours to the medical college.

The panel concluded that there was sufficient substance in the allegations against Justice Shukla and he had "disgraced the values of judicial life, acted in a manner unbecoming of a judge to lower the majesty, dignity and credibility of his office". The accused judge was asked to resign or take voluntary retirement by then CJI Misra. However, Justice Shukla declined and continued his judicial work.

In 2018, judicial work was withdrawn from him. Last month, CJI Ranjan Gogoi wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a motion in parliament to impeach Justice Shukla.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 31, 2019 10:17 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).