I never disowned my principles: Sethna

Ahmedabad, Apr 11 (UNI) Controversial Gujarat High Court Judge Justice B J Sethna broke down today at a farewell function saying his transfer to Sikkim High Court was an ''injustice'' done to him and he had always raised his voice against corrupt practices.

Addressing the farewell function here organised by the Gujarat High Court Bar Association vice-president Mr Anil Dave, the High Court judge who had tendered his resignation yesterday, said ''Even today, I stick to the very principles that I swore at the beginning of my career.'' Justice Sethna was allegedly involved in a scuffle with his senior colleague that led to his transfer to the Sikkim High Court.

''During my tenure, I have handled more than 50,000 cases. In Sikkim High Court there are hardly 50 cases to be dealt with. I have no work there and I cannot simply live without work,'' Mr Sethna said, adding ''I do not want to waste the taxpayers' money. That is why I decided to resign rather then go to Sikkim.'' Justice Sethna was recently transferred to Sikkim High Court on the recommendation from the Supreme Court Collegium with a directive asking him to report on April 14. His colleague Justice P B Majumdar, with whom he was involved in the unprecedented incident, was shifted to Rajasthan High Court.

Justice Sethna reportedly manhandled Justice Majumdar after an argument during their morning walk on January 11. Though neither of the judges came on record over the issue, it snowballed into a controversy and prompted the Supreme Court to transfer both the judges outside Gujarat.

''If I go to Sikkim the airfare for me, wife and daughter would cost Rs 1.20 lakh and with a salary of Rs 50,000 I have indeed saved lot of taxpayers' money.

''On March 31, I had resigned and my letter was ready to be sent. My personal secretary had stopped me from sending the letter.

Today it is quaint that citing public interest, transfer orders had been issued for me to go to Sikkim.

''When Justice K R Vyas of Mumbai High Court was retiring in July 2006, there was a talk of considering me for the post. Then someone else was posted there. Yet I never said anything on this score,'' Mr Sethna said.

On the issue of manhandling Justice Majumdar, Mr Sethna disputed the charge saying ''I never hit Majumdar. Media has unjustly conceited a story that I hit him.'' Mr Sethna broke down when he spoke about Justice M K Thakker, formerly of Gujarat High Court and Chairman of Law Commission.

''He was my guru,'' he said in a choked voice.

Mr Anil Dave, State Bar Association vice-president, said Mr Sethna is not taking retirement in narrow sense of the word because he has now become one of us. Narrating Lord Rama's experience of his going to 'vanvas' and later coming back after 14 years to Ayodhya which is remembered as the beginning of 'satyug', Mr Dave said this could be true of Mr Sethna.

''He is a brave justice of Gujarat High Court,'' he said.

Interestingly, Mr Dave was representing a group that had organised the farewell as opposed to the president of Bar Association Mr Yogesh Lakhani. Mr Lakhani was conspicuous by his absence.

UNI