Shamsuddin demands CJ SK Sinha resign
Retired Supreme Court judge AHM Shamsuddin Choudhury on Monday demanded resignation of chief justice Surendra Kumar Sinha for the 'sake of the dignity' of the judiciary.
“Which of the judges is the black sheep for the judiciary? Is it he who has confessed to be a member of the peace committee [collaborating with Pakistani forces in 1971] and who has met the family members of Salauddin Quader Chowdhury, [then accused in a case] and formed the bench in line with the desire of them? Or is it the person who is disclosing these to the media,” Shamsuddin Choudhury told a group of reporters at the Supreme Court Mazargate.
In response to a question, the former justice said, “I think the chief justice should resign without any delay for the sake of the dignity of the judiciary.”
Shamsuddin alleged that chief justice SK Sinha has a political motive behind his actions and statements. “Actually he is implementing the agenda of the BNP,” he said.
The former Supreme Court justice also said he will not return the case records and termed ‘illegal’ chief justice Surendra Kumar Sinha’s order to return all the case records in his possession.
He said he was going to submit the verdicts and orders he has written after his retirement since Appallate Division's justice Md Abdul Wahhab Miah agreed to accept them. “But, I will in no way return the case documents,” said the former justice.
Later in the day, talking to the Prothom Alo, Shamsuddin Choudhury, however, claimed that he submitted verdicts and orders he has written after his retirement along with all the case records he had.
As approached this evening, Shamsuddin Choudhury said he submitted some 15 verdicts, 70 orders and all related case records to the Appellate Division justice Mohammad Imman Ali around 3:30pm Monday and he has no verdicts or orders in his hands to write down.
The conflict between the chief justice and the retired SC judge came to light again when SK Sinha said writing verdicts after the retirement is unlawful and unconstitutional.
Talking to newsmen on the SC court premises on Sunday, Shamsuddin Choudhury alleged he had requested his presiding judge Abdul Wahhab Miah to accept the pending judgements he has written after his retirements but, he said, justice Wahab Mia, refused to accept the judgements.
Later in the day, the chief justice in a press statement said Shamsuddin Chodhury made no such request to justice Abdul Wahab Mia and asked the retired justice to return all of the case records he has to the office of SC register general.