“Security, Take Him Away", CJI Refuses To Modify Order Directing Suraz India Chairman To Pay Rs 25 Lakh Cost

There was high drama today during the hearing of  Item No.4 ‘Suraz India Trust Vs Union Of India case as Chief Justice Dipak Misra had to order the security personnel to take  away Trust’s Chairman Rajeev Dahiya after the bench kept repeating that the cost of Rs 25 lakh imposed on him will not be  withdrawn but he kept insisting that it be recalled as he "was not given a proper hearing".

"Dont waste our time..you are creating nuisance..you filed 64 PILs in this court..we have other things to do..people are in jail..women and children are waiting for justice in motor accident claim cases.We have imposed a cost..now you just pay the cost..we are not recalling the order", an angry Chief Justice Misra told Dahiya.

Questioning Dahiya's claim that the cost order and the order dismissing his plea was passed without hearing him, CJI Misra pointed towards Justice DY Chandrachud and said "my brother judge was part of the bench which passed the order and says you were heard at length..so nothing remains".

"Take him away" CJI directed security personnel standing with Dahiya.He was promptly taken away.

Dahiya, against whom then Chief Justice J S Khehar -led bench had on May 1 imposed a fine of Rs 25 lakh “for wasting judicial time” by filiing large  number of frivolous petitions had appeared in the court without complying with the order.

Justice Khehar had once almost ordered his arrest when he neither sought time to pay the fine nor gave a firm assurance how he will go about paying the amount.

CJI Khehar then decided to defer the hearing giving Dahiya more time for payment.

On May 1, the Supreme Court has imposed exemplary cost of Rs. 25 lakh on NGO Suraz India Trust for filing 64 cases in various high courts and also in the apex court.

A three-judge bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) JS Khehar had also restrained the trust and its chairman Rajiv Dahiya from filing any case, including PIL, in any court.

Directing Dahiya to deposit the amount with a month’s time, the bench took it seriously the manner in which Dahiya had even ventured to the residence of Supreme Court judges, including that of the CJI, levelling various allegations against the SC registry staff.

“To stop this practice, we direct Suraz India Trust will not file any case. Rajiv Dahiya was restrained from filing any public cause directly or indirectly…,” the CJI bench, also comprising Justice DY Chandrachud and Justice SK Kaul, had passed the order after hearing the matter for more than three hours.

The bench had taken note of all the 64 cases filed by Suraz Trust in which Dahiya has levelled accusations against judges in the name of public cause, but not in a single case, he was successful.