Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay apologises to AG in court after 250 lawyers write to Calcutta HC Chief Justice

Calcutta: After being accused by over 250 advocates in a letter to Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam of being impolite, insolent, and lacking decorum toward the AG, Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay of the Calcutta High Court offered an unconditional apology to AG Kishore Datta in his courtroom.

On Tuesday, upon calling the AG to his courtroom, Justice Gangopadhyay expressed regret for his earlier actions, "I have known you [AG] for nearly 37 years...I am apologetic...I was angry and said a lot of things. Everyone in the Bar must know I am apologetic, he stated.

The incident happened when the AG went to inform Justice Gangopadhyay about a division bench stay order. The case that the judge was hearing then pertained to improper admissions to medical colleges in West Bengal and Justice Gangopadhyay ignored a division bench's stay order on his direction for a CBI probe, owing to which the AG took him through the order.

As per the letter by the lawyers, Judge became enraged and made extremely hurtful, demeaning, and slanderous remarks about the AG, casting doubt on the AG's moral character and integrity.

"The said comments were unprovoked and uncalled for...Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay transgressed all limits of decorum by hurling insults and insinuations on the Advocate General," the letter adds. The letter refers to the AG being a constitutional functionary of the State under Article 165 of the Constitution and says that in insulting the AG, Justice Gangopadhyay has indicated a lack of true faith and allegiance to the Constitution, the letter read. 

Whatever has fallen from the Hon'ble Justice Abhiiit Gangopadhyay on 25th January 2024, targeting the Learned Advocate General is unacceptable to the entire body of advocates practising in the State of West Bengal, the letter added.

On a related note, the proceedings in the aforesaid case led to Justice Gangopadhyay ignoring the division bench's order and the Supreme Court transferring the case to itself.