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A man from Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh has been appointed as a judge after serving for seven years. The appointment of this man was no small matter, but a man named Pradeep Kumar was accused of spying for Pakistan. Thereafter, after years of court battles, the Allahabad High Court ruled in favor of Pradeep Kumar.
The Allahabad High Court had recently ordered the appointment of Pradeep Kumar, a petitioner accused of spying for Pakistan in 2002, as a judge (HJS cadre). He was later acquitted in 2014. In 2016, two years after his acquittal, he appeared for the UP Higher Judicial Service examination and secured 27th rank but was not appointed.
What are the charges against Pradeep Kumar?
Pradeep Kumar was accused of spying for Pakistan in 2002. Pradeep was 24 years old at the time and a law graduate. Pradeep has been charged with sedition, criminal conspiracy and various sections of the Official Secrets Act. In 2014, a Kanpur court acquitted him, but he remains in jail.
According to a report submitted by the military authorities to the Kanpur district magistrate in July 2019, which was noted by the High Court, Pradeep Kumar was killed on June 13, 2002, based on information provided by “sister intelligence agencies” Arrested by STF and Military Intelligence. Agency”) was arrested. The report also mentioned Pradeep Kumar’s father and said Kumar’s father was also suspended in 1990 on bribery charges.
Kumar reportedly approached a man named Faizan Ilahi looking for easy ways to make money. Faizan Ilahi, who runs a photography shop, allegedly asked Pradeep Kumar to provide some information over the phone in exchange for money. The report said Kumar provided sensitive information about Kanpur in exchange for money.
However, two decades after being arrested for espionage in Pakistan, Pradeep Kumar (46) is now very close to becoming a judge, with the court ruling in his favour. Last week, the Allahabad High Court ordered the Uttar Pradesh government to issue a letter appointing Kanpur resident Pradeep Kumar, who was arrested in June 2002, as additional district judge.
The case was acquitted in 2014
In its order acquitting him in 2014, a Kanpur court said the prosecution had to prove that the accused had expressed hatred or contempt for the government through words, gestures or attempted incitement. In the present case, the prosecution witnesses did not record any evidence to substantiate the claim of such conduct against the government.
Pradeep Kumar not appointed
Pradeep Kumar appeared for the UP Higher Judicial Service (Direct Recruitment) examination in 2016, two years after he was acquitted in the 2014 case. In this exam, he ranked 27th. On August 18, 2017, the High Court recommended his appointment to the state government along with other selected candidates. However, the appointment letter was not issued to Kumar.
Thereafter, Pradeep Kumar approached the court after the appointment letter was not issued. Responding to his petition, the court in August 2017 directed the state government to refer the matter to the governor within two weeks and give its opinion within the next month after speaking to relevant officials. The court directed the state government to proceed with appointments if necessary. Furthermore, the court also imposed costs of Rs 10 lakh on the state for delay and “indifference” in implementing its recommendations regarding the appointment of the petitioner.
The order was not challenged. Subsequently, the state government took a review of the matter and refused to appoint the petitioner as per an office memorandum dated September 26, 2019.
Pradeep knocked on the door of the High Court
Later, Pradeep Kumar knocked on the door of Allahabad High Court again. He filed a petition seeking the court to quash the state government’s 2019 order and appoint him as additional district judge of the UP High Judiciary.
When was Pradeep Kumar appointed?
In a high court order passed on December 6, a division bench of Justices Soumitra Dayal Singh and Donadi Ramesh stayed the state government’s order and said “Pradeep Kumar will be reinstated in his current post upon completion of character verification of the petitioner within two weeks” ”. to be appointed as. Therefore, once all formalities are completed, appointment letters can be issued to the applicants before January 15, 2025. The applicants can be appointed to the existing posts.
The court further stated that the state had no evidence that the petitioner had worked for any foreign intelligence agency. The court also said that the alleged crime did not constitute a crime or a stain on the character of the citizen.
