HC Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay To Quit Judiciary & Join Politics; Is He BJP-Bound?

Kolkata: Controversial Calcutta High Court Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay will be quitting the judiciary to join politics.

The controversial Justice Gangopadhyay, who recently declared illegal an order of a division bench headed by Justice Soumen Sen and alleged that the latter was working for a political party (Trinamool Congress), shook political and judicial circles on Sunday with his sensational announcement.

Monday will be his last working day, said Justice Gangopadhyay, adding that he will send his resignation to President Droupadi Murmu, Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud and Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court on Tuesday morning.

Lashing out at the Trinamool Congress (TMC) for rampant corruption in West Bengal, Justice Gangopadhyay said as a Bengali, he can’t accept this.

“They (TMC) criticised some of my judgments calling them motivated and challenged me to come out of the court amid the people… so I am fulfilling their wish as it’s not possible to reach out to the common people from the courtroom,” Justice Gangopadhyay said during an interview with Bengali news channel ABP Ananda.

The buzz was that Justice Gangopadhyay would be joining BJP and possibly contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls from Tamluk.

However, he didn’t spell out details, saying that he would answer all questions on Tuesday.

“Right now I won’t say if I will be joining any particular political party or contesting elections… there is the Left Front, Congress, BJP, number of smaller parties,” he said, ruling out joining TMC.

“Just wait for two days,” said the judge whose courtroom has witnessed dramatic scenes like scuffles to boycotts, charges traded against lawyers and senior colleagues, apologies issued.