HC Rejects Contemnor’s Attempt To Recuse Judge, Says Allegations An ‘Afterthought’ The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court on Monday dismissed an application filed by a contemnor seeking the recusal of a judge from a contempt case, stating that the allegations against the judge appeared to be an “afterthought” aimed at evading the court’s jurisdiction. The case, which originated from a 2019 petition filed by Pranali Ravindra Puttewar against the Union of India and other entities, came under scrutiny after the contemnor submitted a recusal request to the Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court and the administrative judge of the Nagpur bench. While the administrative judge closed the application, a copy was recorded in the court’s proceedings. During the hearing, the contemnor, who operates a credit cooperative society, alleged that the judge had been a member of the society since 2003 and had obtained loans from it, including a two-wheeler loan and a ₹9 lakh housing loan, both of which were later repaid. The contemnor claimed that a dispute or verbal altercation occurred during the settlement of accounts, leading to a strained relationship. Additionally, the contemnor accused the judge of ordering a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the society’s affairs, an order that was later challenged in the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court modified the order and constituted a Special Investigation Team to handle the matter. The court, however, emphasized the need for concrete evidence to substantiate the allegations. It directed the contemnor to provide documentary proof of the judge’s involvement with the society, including records of loan closures, and to file an affidavit detailing the alleged dispute, its timeline, and the nature of the exchange.#central_bureau_of_investigation #union_of_india #bombay_high_court #pranali_ravindra_puttewar #credit_cooperative_society
