Judges' Recusal Record in Sanjiv Chaturvedi Case

In a significant development, Justice Alok Verma of the Uttarakhand High Court has recused himself from hearing a contempt petition involving senior Indian Forest Service officer Sanjiv Chaturvedi. The move marks the 16th instance of judicial withdrawal in Chaturvedi's ongoing legal struggles.

Chaturvedi, a whistleblower who uncovered alleged corruption at AIIMS in New Delhi during his tenure as Chief Vigilance Officer, has seen repeated recusals by judges across various levels of the judiciary. Notably, Justices UC Lalit and Ranjan Gogoi from the Supreme Court have also distanced themselves from his cases.

The current issue stems from CAT's suo motu proceedings against Chaturvedi, which were stayed by the Uttarakhand High Court until 2025. However, CAT chose to proceed, prompting Chaturvedi to challenge the decision in the high court, as judicial recusals continue to complicate the case.

(With inputs from agencies.)