Who is Justice Rohit Deo, and why did he resign
What's the story
Justice Rohit Deo, a Bombay High Court judge, announced on Friday that he has resigned due to "personal reasons" and sent his resignation letter to President Droupadi Murmu.
Lawyers who were present inside the Nagpur Bench courtroom of the Bombay HC during his announcement claimed that Justice Deo also stated he could not compromise on "self-respect," reported PTI.
Details
Can't work against my self-respect: Deo
While announcing his resignation, Justice Deo reportedly stated, "Those who are present in the court, I apologize to each one of you. I don't want to hurt anyone of you because you all are like family to me, and I am sorry to tell you that I have submitted my resignation."
"I can't work against my self-respect. You people work hard," he added.
Reason?
Resignation came days after he stayed Government Resolution
Interestingly, though Justice Deo said he was resigning due to "personal reasons," his announcement came days just after he ordered a stay on a Government Resolution issued in January 2023.
To note, the resolution allowed the Maharashtra government to suspend the Revenue Department-initiated punitive proceedings against the illegal excavation of minor minerals by certain contractors during the Nagpur-Mumbai Samruddhi Expressway construction.
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All you need to know about Justice Deo
To recall, Justice Deo was officially appointed as an additional judge of the Bombay HC in June 2017 and was later named a permanent judge of the court in April 2019.
Before this, he served as the advocate general of Maharashtra in 2016. It should also be noted that Justice Deo was set to retire on December 4, 2025.
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Some key judgments under Justice Deo
Last year, Deo led the Bombay HC's two-judge bench that struck down the life term and conviction handed to former Delhi University Professor Gokalkonda Naga Saibaba—over his alleged Maoist links—due to questionable paperwork.
In April this year, however, the Supreme Court set aside the controversial verdict and sent the matter back to the HC's Nagpur Bench for a fresh decision by a separate bench.
Further information
'Very bold and courageous judge'
Following Justice Deo's decision to resign, Advocate Nihal Singh Rathod described him as a courageous judge and said that his resignation was a massive loss to the judiciary.
"Justice Deo was a very bold and courageous judge. He was very judicious and always encouraged young lawyers to do better. His resignation is a loss to the judiciary," Rathod told The Hindu.