SC dropped in-house probe against Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav after Rajya Sabha claimed jurisdiction
The Supreme Court had initiated steps to launch an in-house inquiry against Allahabad High Court judge Shekhar Kumar Yadav for his controversial speech at a Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) event in 2024, but dropped the plan following a formal intervention from the Rajya Sabha secretariat, which asserted exclusive jurisdiction over the matter.
Justice Yadav's speech, delivered at the Allahabad High Court Bar Association premises during a VHP legal cell event, contained majoritarian rhetoric and remarks targeting the Muslim community. Among other things, he had claimed India should run as per the wishes of the majority, only a Hindu could make India a ‘Vishwa Guru’, and that triple talaq and halala contributed to societal backwardness. The comments sparked widespread outrage and led to calls for his impeachment.
Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna had initially moved to examine the judge’s conduct, following a report from the Allahabad High Court chief justice. The apex court collegium later held a closed-door meeting with Justice Yadav in December 2024, during which he reportedly promised to apologise. However, in a January 2025 letter, he stood by his remarks, claiming they were misrepresented.
As the judiciary deliberated further action, the Supreme Court received a letter from the Rajya Sabha secretariat in March 2025. It pointed out that an impeachment motion had already been filed by 55 MPs, and that only Parliament and the President had the authority to act under the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968. Consequently, the in-house inquiry was shelved to avoid constitutional overlap.
Despite no action taken yet on the impeachment notice, Vice President and Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar confirmed in February that Parliament held exclusive jurisdiction. The Supreme Court collegium agreed not to proceed further, citing the need to avoid parallel proceedings.
Justice Yadav is set to retire in April 2026. He has not issued any public apology and maintains that his remarks were in line with constitutional values and cultural ethos, even as pressure mounts from Opposition MPs and civil society for clarity on the impeachment process.
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Man arrested with Rs 2.54-crore heroin in Mumbai
Mumbai (PTI): Police have arrested a man and seized over 500 grams of heroin worth Rs 2.54 crore in the illicit market from him in Mumbai, officials said on Friday.
The police's Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) made the drug seizure in Santacruz in the western suburbs. The operation was conducted by the Kandivali unit of the ANC on Thursday as part of a special crackdown against drug trafficking in the area, they said.
Acting on specific inputs, an ANC team conducted a raid in Santacruz (East) and intercepted a man. During a search, the team recovered 508 grams of high-grade heroin from his possession, an official said.
The seized contraband, a highly addictive, opioid drug derived from morphine, is estimated to be worth Rs 2.54 crore in the international market, he informed.
Following the seizure, a case was registered against the man under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and he was formally placed under arrest in the early hours of Friday.
The police are currently investigating the source of the drug and trying to identify the intended recipients of the consignment, he said.
