Corruption in lower judiciary has been exposed with a metropolitan magistrate (MM) of the Rohini district court, Gautam Kant Nimaan, being charged with corruption and his services being terminated by the Delhi government following consultation with the Delhi high court Chief Justice Dipak Misra.
As per information available with this newspaper, the MM, Nimaan, was on probation. He was immediately removed from his service after he was allegedly found demanding Rs 10 lakhs from an accused in a criminal case.
Three accused in the said case were awarded six months jail term. Nimaan had allegedly demanded Rs 10 lakhs from one of the accused for reducing the jail term.
One of the accused recorded the conversation with the MM on his mobile phone, thus exposing the corrupt practices of the judge.
The source added, “Nimaan had awarded six months jail term to three accused in a case and allegedly demanded Rs 10 lakhs from the accused to reduce their jail term.”
Sources also said one of the three accused was the classmate of Nimaan and he had allegedly assured the accused that after getting the money, he will release the trio on probation period under the Probation of Offenders Act.
Under Probation of Offenders Act, the court has the power to release certain accused on probation of good conduct.
The incident came to light after one of the accused handed over the telephone recording to the members of Rohini Bar Association in July. The MM had allegedly demanded money from the accused in June this year.
Justice (Retd.) R.S. Sodhi, of the Delhi high court, talking to this newspaper over phone, said, “It is sad news for the judiciary that a judge was allegedly involved in corruption. The judiciary has zero tolerance for corruption. There is no place for corrupt judges in the judiciary. Thereby who so ever is found indulging in these kinds of corrupt practices, must be punished.”