Acting Chief Justice reverse order by Antony dominic

Kochi: Rishikesh Roy, acting chief justice of the Kerala Hihg Court, on Wednesday reversed the decision of the former chief justice Antony Dominic directing to post cases filed by four lawyers before Justice V. Chitambaresh.

Acting Chief Justice, heading the administrative committee of the court, observed that such an order will create a bad precedent for the institution and might lead to bench hunting or forum shopping.

The committee was examining a case relating to the missing files of a land case. The case relates to ownership dispute regarding a 70 acre paddy land in Palakkad. The files relating to appeal against a principal sub-court's order went missing in November 2016.

An amicus curiae appointed by a Division Bench headed by Justice Chitambaresh had recommended a Crime Branch probe. The HC registrar probed the matter and submitted a report stating that the file could have been removed by either the advocate or his clerical staff with the connivance of the official concerned.

Justice Chidambaresh made certain remarks against the advocates during the hearing of the case. Also, it had issued show-cause notices to an official of the section where the files were kept and to a lawyer clerk. The advocates then approached the then chief justice Antony Dominice with the request. The administrative committee he chaired duly obliged to the request.