Corruption allegations against Justice RK Gautam: Supreme Court refuses to

entertain plea:

 The Supreme Court today dismissed the petition challenging the appointment of
the Additional Judge of the Allahabad High Court, Justice RK Gautam.

 The petition making allegations of corruption against the Additional Judge

appointed earlier this year was being heard by the Bench headed by Justice AK
Sikri.

 The petitioner was represented by Senior Counsel Vikas Singh, who pressed for
the matter to be considered, but to no avail.

 Filed by Progressive Lawyers Association Civil Court, the petition alleged

misconduct and corruption on the part of Justice RK Gautam. He was a District
Judge in Meerut in 2015-16, when a complaint was made against him by the
petitioner before then Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court DY
Chandrachud.

 Upon receipt of this complaint, Chandrachud J had ordered a discreet Vigilance

Inquiry into these allegations. The inquiry was conducted by OSD Vigilance, Anil
Kumar Shrivastav. Pending the inquiry, Chandrachud J was elevated to the
Supreme Court, following which, the petitioner claims, Shrivastav colluded with
Gautam J and gave him a clean chit in his inquiry report.

 This report was challenged on the judicial side. The Allahabad High Court
dismissed the same, on the ground that the complaint was not supported by an
affidavit. The report was then challenged before the Supreme Court. However,
while these proceedings were pending, Gautam J. was recommended for elevation
to the High Court by the Supreme Court Collegium.

“I saved you, else foreign firms might have taken over your work”, Justice Arun
Mishra:
 Supreme Court judge Justice Arun Mishra today made some interesting remarks
regarding restrictions on the entry of foreign law firms into India.

 Sitting along with Justice S Abdul Nazeer and Justice MR Shah, Justice Arun
Mishra was hearing submissions made by Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu
Singhvi in a case concerning additional gross revenue when he made the remarks.

 Interestingly, Mishra J. also said that with globalisation, things have to change,
perhaps hinting that he might not be inclined to stick to his previous stance on the
issue.

 The issue of foreign law firms and lawyers being allowed to practice in India has
always been a contentious one.

 Whether a particular visit is casual or frequent so as to amount to practice is a

question of fact to be determined from situation to situation, the Court had ruled.
The Bar Council of India and the Union of India are at liberty to make appropriate
rules in this regard, the Court had held.

 The Court had also allowed foreign lawyers to appear in International

Commercial Arbitration, subject to relevant institutional rules.