Why did Justice Rohit Deo Step Down From His Position As Bombay High Court Judge?

Bombay High Court judge Justice Rohit B Deo announced his resignation on Friday, citing personal reasons. During the announcement in the court's Nagpur bench, Justice Deo expressed that he couldn't compromise on his self-respect. He apologized to everyone present, stating that he scolded them to motivate improvement and that he didn't want to hurt anyone since they were like family to him.

Justice Rohit B Deo had been a judge in the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court since his appointment as an additional judge in June 2017 when he served as Maharashtra's advocate general. In April 2019, he was elevated to the position of a permanent judge, and he was scheduled to retire on December 4, 2025.

Justice Deo was part of a two-judge bench that overturned the conviction and life sentence of former Delhi University professor Gokalkonda Naga Saibaba due to procedural flaws and shoddy paperwork in the trial court's proceedings. The Supreme Court later set aside Saibaba's acquittal in April this year and returned the case to the Nagpur bench for reconsideration by a different bench within four months.

In recent months, Justice Deo stayed the implementation of a Maharashtra government resolution and also addressed issues concerning lockdown enforcement during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, he did not provide specific reasons for his resignation and stated that it was due to personal reasons.

Justice Deo submitted his resignation letter to the President of India following his announcement in court.