Judge hearing Delhi violence case transferred

Delhi High Court Judge Justice S Muralidhar, who grilled the Indian centre and state government on Wednesday over the violence in the capital that left 27 dead and over 200 injured, has been transferred to the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

The notification of the transfer of Justice Muralidhar, the third highest judge of the Delhi High Court, was issued on Wednesday night by the centre, about two weeks after it had been recommended by the Supreme Court collegium on February 12, reports NDTV.

Earlier on Wednesday, Justice Muralidhar had said, "We cannot let another 1984-like event happen in this country" and asked the government - at the centre and in Delhi - to work together to combat unrelenting violence that hit parts of the national capital for a fourth consecutive day.

The comment came after a tension-filled hearing in which videos of hate speeches by four BJP leaders - Kapil Mishra, Anurag Thakur, Abhay Verma and Parvesh Verma - were played during a hearing seeking filing of FIRs against those who incited and participated in the violence in northeast Delhi, the Indian media reports.

The Indian government's transfer notification read: "In exercise of the power conferred by clause (1) of Article 222 of the Constitution of India, the President, after consulation with the Chief Justice of India, is pleased to transfer Shri Justice S Muralidhar, Judge of the Delhi High Court, as a Judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court and to direct him to assume charge of his office in the Punjab and Haryana High Court."

The Delhi High Court Bar Association had last week condemned the transfer and demanded the Supreme Court collegium to recall the move.