DID THE HIGH COURT REGISTRAR BREACH THE LAW?

PANJIM: The Registrar of the Bombay High Court at Goa Ms I.K Jain finds herself in the centre of a controversy involving the alleged illegal posting of five men police security at her official bungalow and also for having allegedly illegally converting the garage at the bungalow into a toilet.

Adv. Aires Rodrigues in his complaint has alleged that for the last over six months four constables and one head constable have been posted illegally at the official residence of Registrar I.K.Jain situated at Government colony at Patto, Panaji.

Adv. Rodrigues has further stated that the illegal police security provided on the oral request of Ms. I.K.Jain was costing the State exchequer around Rs 80,000/- a month.

Adv. Rodrigues has also stated that the police security deployed was illegal as the Registrar was not entitled for the same and that it was also not approved by the Security Review Committee of the Goa Government as required. In addition, there was no official request from the High Court to the State Government in this regard.

Regarding the illegal conversion of the garage into a toilet, Adv. Rodrigues has stated that he has been informed by PWD engineers that the same was done at the request and directions of Registrar Ms. I.K.Jain. Adv. Rodrigues has stated that the illegal toilet was constructed at a cost of Rs one lakh to be used by the illegal police security posted at the residence of the Registrar Ms I.K Jain.

The Commissioner of the City of Panaji Mr. Elvis Gomes has already issued a show cause notice as the construction of the toilet was in violation of Sec 269 of the CCP Act. The CCP in its notice has given 7 days to show cause as to why an order should not be passed ordering removal of the illegally constructed toilet.

Stating that it was regretful that the highest officer of the Bombay High Court at Goa was violating the law, Adv. Rodrigues has demanded that both the blatant violations need to be thoroughly probed and action be taken against Ms. I.K.Jain.

Meanwhile sources have revealed that Ms I. K. Jain was posted in Goa on 1st January this year within days of Justice J.N.Patel taking over as the acting Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court. The then Registrar Mr. V.V Borikar was on 31st December 2009 abruptly moved out of Goa within five months of his posting here. The Registrar usually has a tenure of three years.

It is not known why Ms. I.K.Jain was suddenly posted in Goa. It is however known that she is conducting the inquiry into the allegations against Judge Anuja Prabhudesai.

It is learnt that then Registrar Mr. V.V.Borikar had opined that the allegations and charges against Judge Anuja Prabhudesai were fabricated and had no substance. It is also learnt that he had declined to conduct the inquiry against Judge Anuja Prabhudesai.

So it now has to be seen whether Ms. I.K.Jain was brought to Goa on a specific mission to stump Judge Anuja Prabhudesai. Only time will reveal what is Ms. I.K Jain’s mission in Goa and as to why see sought special police security.