Eliza Gupta, the terminated judicial magistrate of Rajasthan, sparked a row after she wrote to the Supreme Court, President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal.
The letter, dated December 15, levelled serious harassment charges against judges and senior lawyers in Rajasthan.
However, these charges were denied by other lawyers, who alleged that Gupta was arrogant. They said the controversy erupted after she lodged a sedition complaint against an advocate, merely based on a verbal spat.
WHAT DOES THE LETTER STATE?
"I had to lose my job/service as a judge because I raised my voice against such incidents," she said.
"Being the victim of circumstances, I was removed from service by stigmatic remarks that would not allow me to live peacefully with dignity in any part of the world. It is humbly submitted that I was posted as ACJJM-1, Nagaur on September 16, 2023, when advocates Peer Mohammad and Arjun Ram Kala assaulted and threatened me, used abusive language on me, and upon my appointing authority (that is Governor of Rajasthan), while I was working on dais and discharging my duties of the court. They hammered hands on the dais and shouted abuses," the complaint letter by Gupta read.
"Thereafter, local police was informed and I was directed to file a complaint. Thereafter, contempt proceedings were initiated. However, no action was taken by the police, following which I submitted a handwritten complaint, but the police did not even register the FIR," she alleged.
"Due to the influence of lawyers like Peer Mohammad and Arjun Ram Kala of Nagaur, I was transferred to Jodhpur on the next working day. I was on leave, but I was called back midway, and was asked to come to the senior judge's chamber late at night, where I was harassed close to midnight on September 18, 2023," Gupta stated in her letter.
Further, the former judge demanded justice and stated, "I had to lose my job/service because I initiated contempt proceedings against two undisciplined advocates and raised my voice against them. My own department did not support me and favoured the accused advocates and did not let an FIR be registered."
"In the past, I was harassed and threatened so much by a few seniors. I then submitted a written complaint against them to the District Judge and Registrar General of the Rajasthan High Court and requested police protection. However, no action was taken in respect of those complaints/intimations sent by me," she alleged.
"I was transferred four times in two years. As a result of those complaints filed by me and raising my voice against injustice, I was discharged from my service without any notice/inquiry/without allowing me to be heard. If required, I am ready to produce documentary evidence with photographs of each word written in the said letter," she further said.
LAWYERS CLAIM MISUSED POWER
One of the lawyers, who has been named in the complaint letter, said, "Eliza Gupta always behaved badly with the lawyers from her posting till her discharge from duty. Whenever the advocates approached her for justice, she insulted them and used foul language. She even worked against judicial purity while sitting on the dais."
She deliberately filed claims and admissible pleas and dismissed civil suits to corrupt the judicial process, the lawyers alleged.
Another lawyer alleged Gupta harassed the advocates if they went to the dais for justice.
A detailed presentation of lawyers was submitted to the association, which further sent its report to the High Court. Later, these complaints were also transferred to the district judge.
Speaking to Indiatoday.in, a lawyer said, "A detailed investigation was done and she was discharged from duty. She deserved this and did not fit in anywhere within the judiciary. She had come into the judiciary to satisfy her ego. Her objective was never to deliver justice."
