The Rajya Sabha-appointed judicial committee on Sunday commenced hearing the charges against Calcutta high court judge Soumitra Sen, facing impeachment for alleged misappropriation of Rs 33.22 lakhs as “court receiver” 20 years ago.
The three-member committee, headed by Justice B. Sudershan Reddy of the SC, for the first time held an open meeting to commence arguments on the charges against Justice Sen with the panel’s counsel stating it was a clear case of “corruption”. The other members of the committee are Punjab and Haryana high court CJ Mukul Mudgal and lawyer Fali S. Nariman. Though the proceeds of a case kept in the custody of Mr Sen were allegedly “misappropriated” by him in 1990, much before his appointment as a judge in 2003, had the fact been known immediately his candidature for appointment would have been rejected outright, Mr Luthra argued. Justice Sen’s lawyer is expected to take up the arguments in his defence on Monday.