Delhi HC Rejects Plea For FIR On Kalikho Pul’s Suicide Note, Slaps Rs. 2.75 Lakh Fine On Petitioners [Read Judgment]

The High Court of Delhi on Monday rejected a Petition filed by a group of lawyers for lodging an FIR on the allegations made in a purported suicide note of former Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Kalikho Pul, and slapped a fine totaling Rs 2.75 lakh on the Petitioners.

The High Court observed that the Petitioners were “busy-bodies” making “wild allegations”, as it opined none of them could vouch for the authenticity of the purported suicide note. Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva, however, did not initiate criminal contempt proceedings against the Petitioners, as was sought by the Central Bureau of Investigation.

Justice Sachdeva was of the view that the Petitions were filed without any basis, and were based on “mere hearsay”, as none of the 11 Petitioners had affirmed any of the facts alleged in their plea.

Mr. Pul had committed suicide on August 9 last year, and his body was found hanging in the official residence of the Chief Minister at Itanagar. He had left a 60 page suicide note, alleging nexus between politicians, lawyers and Judges of the higher Judiciary.

The Petitions had then been filed by National Lawyers’ Campaign for Judicial Transparency and Reforms and 10 others, contending that the persons against whom allegations were made are persons who hold high Constitutional positions and power.

“Even if they are clean in their character, shining like a real diamond in the public duties they discharge, there is a need to conduct the investigation and allay the shadow and doubts from the public minds, which are created out of the said suicide note. Or, otherwise, the law needs to take its own course,” the Petitions had stated.

The Petitions had, therefore, sought a direction to the Police or the CBI to register an FIR, and investigate into the allegations contained in the suicide note.

Mr. Pul’s wife had also written a letter to CJI Khehar, seeking a probe into the allegations leveled by her late husband. The Supreme Court had then converted her letter into a Petition, and had posted it for hearing before a two Judge Bench comprising Justice A.K. Goel and Justice U.U. Lalit.

Mr. Dushyant Dave, the senior lawyer who appeared for Mr. Pul’s wife, had thereafter objected to the Court taking up the matter on the judicial side, and had also opposed the listing of the issue before the Bench. Mr. Dave had then withdrawn the Petition.

Read the Judgment here.