Judiciary must remain free from political pressures, can't have dual system: Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Thursday said India can't have a dual judicial system -- one for the rich and the other for the poor, and pulled up Madhya Pradesh Police for attempting to shield Govind Singh, the husband of a Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLA, accused of murdering Congress leader Devendra Chourasia.

A bench headed by Justice DY Chandrachud said the judiciary must remain free from political pressures and influences.

The top court cancelled Singh's bail noting that there has been an abject failure of the police to complete the investigation into the murder.

The court took a strong objection to the fact that police officials tried to pressurize the trial court judge to shield the accused. The top court pointed out that the Madhya Pradesh Police have been complicit in shielding Singh from arrest, and also pulling up state DGP for inaction of the police force.

The deceased Congress leader's son had submitted that the trial court judge was being pressured by the BSP MLA. The top court noted, "Independence of judiciary is the independence of each and every judge, so that they are independent of their superiors also. Colonial mindset meted out to district judiciary has to change".

Singh was arrested by the police on May 28, after the top court had given a deadline to the Madhya Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP) on April 5.

The top court on March 26, had observed that an effort was made to shield the accused after the DGP had said that despite court order, police were not able to arrest him.