The Gujarat High Court has recently issued an order directing the Registrar of the High Court to promptly finalize the installation of CCTV cameras in the Registry in a strategic manner.
The aim here is to ensure the safeguarding of court documents against tampering, as seen in the case of Dharmesh Jivanlal Gurjar v. State of Gujarat.
During the proceedings, the registrar informed Justice Sandeep Bhatt that deliberate interference occurred, intending to prevent the inclusion of a case on the ‘admission board’ of the judge. Justice Bhatt previously hinted at issuing stringent orders in this matter on October 9.
The judge noted in the order, “hence, the petitioner, a practicing advocate, and others in his close circle are now under scrutiny for engaging in such practices, particularly within the Debts Recovery Tribunal, manipulating legal processes and engaging in unfair practices.”
The Court emphasized that such actions constitute a clear attempt to disrupt the administration of justice, especially within the Registry of the state’s highest court, stating, “Such unscrupulous individuals must be held accountable.”
However, the judge acknowledged that due to inadequate CCTV coverage, conclusive evidence couldn’t be gathered in the present case.
The case in question involved Dharmesh Gurjar, initially charged with soliciting a ₹2 lakh bribe while serving as a court-appointed commissioner for the Debts Recovery Tribunal Ahmedabad. In 2020, Gurjar filed a petition to dismiss the case.
Previously on October 9, Justice Bhatt, declined the plea and, in the event of withdrawal, directed the Bar Council of Gujarat to initiate proceedings against Gurjar for professional misconduct.
In the recent order, the Court highlighted that in 2016, the then Chief Justice granted permission for strategic CCTV installation in all judicial departments of the Registry to ensure the safety of judicial proceedings.
Despite specific approval, no progress was made, as revealed on April 19, 2023.
Expressing concern over the lack of development, Justice Bhatt emphasized, “This is a very disturbing state of affairs on the side of the administration of the High Court.”
The Court lamented the absence of progress even after the incident and instructed, “This situation can’t be tolerated and continued any further.” The Registrar General, along with the Registrars (Vigilance) and (Judicial), were directed to coordinate with the Chief Justice’s additional secretary to expedite the CCTV installation by January 15, 2024.
