‘Nasty, Officials Think They Are Super CJI’, SC Pulls Up Its Registry For Not Issuing Notice To ED

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday came down on its registry, terming its conduct “nasty” and saying its officials think they are acting as “super Chief Justice of India”.

The observation was made by a bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi. The bench stated this while hearing a bail plea filed by Ayushi Mittal alias Ayushi Agarwal, accused in an alleged investment fraud involving several thousand crores. Referring to an order passed on March 23, on the plea, the CJI wondered how the registry officials construed that the bench did not issue notice to the Enforcement Directorate and other respondents.

“The registry is acting very nasty,” the CJI said, adding, “Very nasty registry… Each one sitting here considers themselves as super Chief Justice of India.”

The apex court, in its fresh order, said, “Notice has not been issued to the ED director stating no such order was passed. Let a fact-finding inquiry be undertaken by the registrar judicial (of the apex court) as to how our March 23 order does not mean notice to the ED. Let notice be served to the Directorate of Enforcement.” The petitioner, Ayushi Mittal, her husband, and their company are accused of orchestrating a massive investment fraud.

The defence claimed that a substantial portion of the funds had been returned to the investors, and several hundred crores of rupees remain in bank accounts currently frozen by the ED. In its March 23 order, the bench allowed an oral prayer by the counsel for the Rajasthan government, a party in the case, to make the ED a party to the proceedings.

The purpose was to determine whether all movable and immovable assets belonging to the petitioner and her extended family had been properly attached. The apex court made it clear that it would not consider the merits of the bail plea until a “comprehensive description” of assets is provided.

The bench directed the petitioner’s legal representative to file an exhaustive affidavit detailing the immovable properties owned by the petitioner, her husband, their children, parents, siblings, and parents-in-law.

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