“Govt Handicapped, FIR Can’t Be Registered Due to Judicial Order: VP Dhankhar

GG News Bureau
Chandigarh, 6th June: Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Friday expressed deep concern over the delay in registering a First Information Report (FIR) in the case involving the cash haul discovered at a sitting judge’s residence. Speaking at an interaction with the Punjab and Haryana High Court Bar Association in Chandigarh, he stated, “The Government of the day is handicapped. It can’t register an FIR because there is a judicial order—more than three decades old—which provides virtually impregnable cover unless permission is granted by a senior judicial functionary.”

Dhankhar questioned why permission to register the FIR was not given earlier, emphasizing that it “could have been given on the very first day or at least after the report.” He criticized the delay, noting, “We have lost more than three months, and the investigation has not even been initiated.”

Highlighting constitutional procedures, the Vice-President said, “A committee of judges cannot substitute for FIR registration or the constitutional removal mechanism for judges. If a judge removal mechanism exists, it can only be initiated in Parliament.”

On the gravity of the issue, Dhankhar asked, “Has money influenced the Judiciary in judicial work? If the temple of justice is so sacrilegious and tainted, then where would people go for justice?”

He praised the active role of Bar Associations and urged a thorough, scientific investigation to restore public confidence. “Surely the cash will not come without a purpose, and the purpose cannot be legitimate,” he remarked.

Referring to the rule of law, the Vice-President asserted, “Be ye never so high, the law is above you.” He underscored that no constitutional office enjoys immunity from prosecution beyond their tenure, reinforcing the need for accountability.

Addressing lawyers as custodians of democracy and the rule of law, Dhankhar said, “The people’s confidence will be restored only by proper investigation and transparency.”

He warned that if judicial integrity is compromised, it risks eroding faith in the justice system. “Judges need protection to make fearless and independent decisions,” he added.

The Vice-President concluded by highlighting the long tradition of legal advocacy in India and reaffirmed the necessity for justice to be upheld without influence or delay. “A sitting judge is seen as a reincarnation of God who will do justice. We must preserve that sanctity,” he said.

This statement comes amid rising public concern over the unexplained cash haul at a judge’s residence in March 2025 and the lack of investigation or FIR registration, raising serious questions on judicial transparency and accountability in India.