Govt returns file to collegium on Justice Kureshi's elevation as MP chief justice
New Delhi, Aug 29: The government is learnt to have returned to the Supreme Court collegium its recommendation to elevate Justice Akil Kureshi as the chief justice of the Madhya Pradesh High Court, sources in the Law Ministry said on Wednesday.
The sources indicated that the government was not averse to elevating Justice Kureshi as the chief justice of some other high court.
They, however, did not give reasons behind the government's decision to send back the file.
The Gujarat High Court Advocates Association (GHCAA) had filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking direction to the Centre to notify the elevation of Justice Kureshi.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday said it had received a communication from the Ministry of Law and Justice on the Collegium's recommendation elevating Justice Akil Kureshi as the chief justice of the Madhya Pradesh High Court.
A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi said that his office had received a communication from the ministry and it would be placed before the Collegium to take a call on it.
"A communication has been received by the office of the Chief Justice of India, on the administrative side, from the Department of Justice. The same will be put up before the Collegium in due course. Matter be listed once the decision of the Collegium is taken on the basis of the response/ communication of the Department of Justice," the bench also comprising Justices S A Bobde and S A Nazeer said.
On August 16, the Centre had told the apex court that it would take a call within a week on the Collegium's May 10 recommendation on elevation of Justice Akil Kureshi as chief justice of Madhya Pradesh High Court.
The lawyers' body alleged that the government has cleared the appointment of chief justices of other high courts.
The plea had said that Justice Kureshi's name has not been notified by the government even after the collegium recommended his name on May 10.
The government had on June 7 appointed Justice Ravi Shanker Jha as acting chief justice of the Madhya Pradesh High Court.
Appointment of Justice Kureshi as chief justice of the Madhya Pradesh high court was recommended by the collegium on May 10 this year.
The collegium's resolution had stated, "Justice A A Kureshi is the senior-most judge from the Gujarat high court and at present is functioning, on transfer, in the Bombay High Court.
"Having regard to all relevant factors, the Collegium is of the considered view that Justice A A Kureshi is suitable in all respects for being appointed as Chief Justice of the Madhya Pradesh high court. The Collegium resolves to recommend accordingly."
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SC regularises interim bail granted to Gujarat-based journalist in money laundering case
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Friday confirmed its earlier order of granting interim bail to journalist Mahesh Langa in a money laundering case linked to a matter involving an alleged financial fraud lodged by the Enforcement Directorate at Ahmedabad.
The top court on December 15 last year had granted the interim bail to Langa and fixed the case for further hearing on April 10.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi took note of the submissions of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the probe agency, and said the interim order is confirmed.
The bench agreed to the contention of Mehta that the observations made in the bail order shall not be construed as remarks on merits of the case. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal had represented Langa.
Earlier, opposing the bail plea, the solicitor general had said, "Journalists extorting money and saying that if you do not pay, I will write against you is a serious offence."
The bench had granted the relief and ordered a day-to-day trial in the case and imposed certain conditions on the journalist, including asking him not to write any article in any media outlet about his sub-judice case and seek any adjournments before the special court.
"The petitioner will furnish the bail bonds to the satisfaction of the designated special court under the PMLA," it said, adding, "The special court is directed to take up the case on a day-to-day basis for consideration of charge and if charge is framed, recording the statements of all the nine witnesses."
The bench directed Langa and his counsel in the trial court to extend "full cooperation to the special court", and said "no adjournment shall be sought or permitted on the ground that quashing proceedings are separately pending before the high court".
It said this condition is being imposed as the high court has not granted a stay on the trial proceedings.
"The Directorate of Enforcement shall also cooperate with the special judge for taking up the case on a day-to-day basis," the apex court said.
Langa will be at liberty to raise all legal contentions, objections and defence pleas, and place the material for the special court's consideration in accordance with law, it added.
"The petitioner shall not publish or write any article in his position as an assistant editor of a newspaper with respect to the allegations, which are sub-judice against him, before the special judge at Ahmedabad," the bench said.
It also made it clear that the interim bail is being granted subject to the petitioner's "good conduct and behaviour".
On July 31, last year, the Gujarat High Court rejected Langa's bail plea in the case on the grounds that if he is granted the relief, prejudice would be caused to the prosecution case.
On February 25, 2025, the ED said it arrested Langa in connection with a money-laundering investigation linked to an alleged financial fraud.
The journalist was first arrested in October 2024 in a Goods and Services Tax (GST) fraud case.
The money laundering case against Langa stems from two FIRs filed by the Ahmedabad Police on charges of fraud, criminal misappropriation, criminal breach of trust, cheating and causing wrongful loss of lakhs of rupees to certain people.
