LUCKNOW: (Feb 13) Justice Pankaj Bhatia of the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court on Friday recused himself from hearing bail pleas, saying certain recent observations made by the Supreme Court had a “huge demoralising and chilling effect” on him.
The judge declined to hear a bail plea filed by Rakesh Tiwari, and urged the high court chief justice to withdraw the bail roster from him.
“Although it is well known that there is no judge who can claim that his order has never been set aside or interfered with, I also feel from the perusal of the judgment of the Supreme Court that the bail order granting bail was apparently subject to interference.
