Law Kumar Mishra
Patna, January 2
Justice Rakesh Kumar, who retired as judge in Andhra Pradesh High Court on December 31, returned to his home town here from New Delhi Saturday evening.
Besides the protocol officials of the High Court of Patna, a large number of lawyers were present to accord a rousing welcome to him. He plans to spend his retired life at his Energy Colony residence.
Justice Rakesh Kumar hogged the headlines for delivering the “indicting” judgments against Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy for his alleged involvement in corruption cases. He also questioned the collegium working of the Supreme Court.
Justice Rakesh Kumar started his legal profession at Patna High Court and as counsel of CBI, he had successfully got the prosecution against the then chief minister, Lalu Prasad, his cabinet colleagues and IAS officers sent to prisons in the fodder scam.
In one of his last judgments on December 30, a day before retirement, he had regretted the absence of transparency in transfer of judges. He had also lamented that judges in Andhra Pradesh were being attacked by the leaders of the ruling party, who were writing the judges should be cut into pieces; another politician writing judges should be put in the Corona wards only.
He had put the entire Patna High Court judiciary into storm in August last year by issuing orders to the CBI to investigate into the working of the Registries and even sent copies of his orders to the PMO. Later, for the first time, 11 members of the judges bench stayed operation of his order and the then Chief Justice, A P Shahi was shifted to Madras High Court and Rakesh Kumar to Andhra Pradesh High Court.
During his short one year’s stay at Amravati, Justice Rakesh Kumar had given relief to the victims of police atrocities in Visakhapatnam too and adversely commented on the working of the director general of police by rebuking him that the DGP was closing down cases against the influential people.
The people of Amravati showed the gesture but with deep emotions. On Friday, hundreds of women and farmers from the region had formed a human chain to accord a touching farewell and as reverential greetings with folded hands. The chants of “Long Live Rakesh Kumar” and “God of Justice, People’s Judge” filled the air.
Women who had also lined up to greet Rakesh Kumar were heard shouting “You were our saviours.” They stopped the vehicle of the judge and presented him with shawls, flowers and mementoes.
Local media in Andhra Pradesh claimed never in the past, such an emotional farewell was accorded to a judge in the state.
